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Origin and history

The castle of Oudon, built between the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century on the ruins of an older work, was renovated in the 16th century and restored in the 19th and 20th centuries. Located on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Loire, it was part of the Breton defensive device facing the Kingdom of France before 1491, the date of the marriage of Anne of Brittany with Charles VIII. Its materials, schist and gneiss with tufted chains, remind those of the fortress of Largoët, while its decorations inspire castles of the Loire. The dungeon, 32.5 meters high and surmounted by an octagonal turret, symbolizes both a residential, defensive and ostentatious function.

The seigneury of Oudon, mentioned as early as the 11th century, suffered several seats because of its strategic position between Nantes and Angers. In 1392, Alain de Malestroit obtained permission from the Duke John IV of Brittany to rebuild the castle, erecting a dungeon surrounded by walls and preserving ancient elements such as the drawbridges. In the 15th century, the enclosure was enlarged with towers and courtines, while in the 16th century, modifications completed the western fortification. The castle passed into the hands of noble families like the Montmorency and the Condé, before being confiscated during the Revolution.

In 1794, the castle became well national and was partially dismantled for its materials. Rached by the department in 1820, it was classified as a historical monument in 1866, then ceded to the state in 1881. Major restorations took place between 1974 and 1984, including the reconstruction of the stairway to the dungeon for its 600th anniversary. Today, the tower and its surroundings (premises, moats, bridges) are protected, testifying to its historical and architectural importance.

The castle is linked to significant events, such as the siege of 1526 ordered by Francis I to arrest the lords of Malestroit, guilty of counterfeiting and murder. He also welcomed King Charles IX in 1565, invited by Anne de Montmorency. Its history reflects the tensions between Brittany and France, as well as the political and military stakes of the region.

The materials and structure of the castle reveal a duality between defensive function and seigneurial residence. The mâchicoulis decorated with threaded motifs, the 3 meters thick walls and the polygonal tower pierced with bays opening onto the Loire illustrate this ambivalence. The preserved remains, such as the southwest tower and the courtines, allow to trace its architectural evolution over nearly seven centuries.

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