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Origin and history

The Château d'Épinats, located in Cizay-la-Madeleine in the department of Maine-et-Loire (Pays de la Loire), is an emblematic monument of the 17th and 18th centuries. Built partly in tufa and false, it consists of a seigneurial house and an adjoining farm, illustrating the local architectural techniques of the period. Its central rotating staircase, with a wrought iron ramp and an older screw staircase, bear witness to remarkable craftsmanship, while the dining room fireplace and facades have been protected since 1973.

The current house includes an older part dating back to the 17th century, including a hall and a fireplace to the west, as well as a staircase in screws. In 1780, the entrepreneur Jean Dubois signed the construction of a new house, encompassing pre-existing structures, as evidenced by the date on the building. The farm, probably built in the 17th century, and a potentially 15th century well, later redesigned, complete the whole. These elements reflect the architectural and functional evolution of the estate, marked by transformations in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The château d'Épinats, registered under the title of the Historical Monuments by order of 27 December 1973, specifically protects its facades, roofs, the interior staircase with its wrought iron ramp, and the fireplace of the dining room. These protections highlight the heritage value of the site, mixing medieval heritage (pits) and changes in modern times. The building thus embodies local history, between rural nobility, agricultural activities and successive adaptations to the needs of its occupants.

The location of the castle, in the town of Cizay-la-Madeleine (code Insee 49100), is part of a territory marked by the tufeau, limestone typical of Anjou. This material, widely used in the construction of houses and farms, gives a stylistic unit to the buildings of the region. The presence of a farm adjacent to the castle illustrates the seigneurial system of the Ancien Régime, where noble estates often incorporated spaces dedicated to the farm, ensuring their economic autonomy.

The renovations of the 18th and 19th centuries, especially those orchestrated by Jean Dubois in 1780, reveal a desire to adapt the castle to the standards of comfort and aesthetics of the time. The inscription in the Historical Monuments in 1973 preserved key elements such as the wrought iron ramp staircase, symbol of the luxury of the 18th century aristocratic houses. Today, the castle of Epinates remains a tangible testimony of the architecture of Angelvine, between medieval heritage and pre-revolutionary modernizations.

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