Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Petit-Thouars castle has its origins in a medieval fief dependent on Chinon Castle. The first certified owner, Gillaia Morin, knight, confessed to the king in 1377 for his land. The construction of the present building began in 1423, probably under the impetus of Roland de la Voirie and his wife Jeanne Morin, heiress of the estate. This castle, partially preserved today, illustrates the seigneurial architecture of the late Middle Ages in the region.

In the 16th century, the estate passed into the hands of Gabriel Prévost des Charbonnières, squire, before being ceded in 1595 to Denis Le Bouthillier. His son Claude sold him in 1636 to finance the acquisition of Chavigny's land. That year, Georges Aubert, knight of Saint-Georges, became the new seigneur of Petit-Thouars through a transaction orchestrated by Richelieu. Since then the castle has remained in its descendants, marking a rare family continuity for almost four centuries.

The 17th century saw significant architectural changes, including the addition of an isolated gallery to the left of the house. However, it was in the nineteenth century that the castle underwent its most radical transformation: between 1873 and 1874, the Welsh architect gave it a neo-Gothic style still visible today. At the same time, the landscape architect Killians redesigned the park, integrating terraces and masonry. These changes reflect the eclectic tastes of the era, mixing medieval heritage and historical romanticism.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 2022, the Petit-Thouars Castle protects a coherent complex including the house, the communes, a runaway, a farm, and a park with preserved floors and fences. Its history, marked by noble families and architectural transformations, makes it a privileged witness to the evolution of local elites from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era.

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