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Origin and history

Beaufief Castle, located in Mazeray in Charente-Maritime, has its origins in the 13th century, although the first written records of its seigneury appeared only in the time of Henry III (XVI century). The first attested seigneur, Jean d'Abillon, bishop and then mayor of Saint-Jean-d'Angely in 1582, enlarged the estate by acquiring part of the châtellenie du Cluzeau. The seigneury remained in its progeny until the 18th century, despite successive sales linked to financial difficulties, notably in 1680, when François de Riveron (spouse of an heiress of Abillon) became its owner.

In 1768, René-Joseph-Benoît Perraudeau, lawyer and future mayor of Saint-Jean-d'Angély, bought the estate and rebuilt the castle on medieval foundations, reusing the original materials. Anointed by the purchase of an office as king's secretary, he propels his family into the local aristocracy. His great-grandson, Joseph-Edouard Perraudeau de Beaufief (1821-1908), distinguished himself in the 19th century as the creator of the seaside resort of Ronce-les-Bains. The castle remained in the Perraudeau family until 1896, before passing to the Masson de La Sauzaye, then being sold in 1922 to Henri-Julien-Alexandre Laborde.

Saved from the ruin in the 20th century by Count Jehan of the Tower of Geay and his wife, the castle was restored in the 1970s-1980s, worth to its owners the Sazerac Cup (1982) and the Prix Chefs-d'oeuvre en peril (1984). Its architecture combines a rococo house with a French-style park and a Louis XV chapel. The facades, wrought iron ramp, woodwork and stucco of the chapel have been classified as Historical Monuments since 1973. Today, the castle is not open to visit.

The estate also includes a 17th-century dovecote with the Collincourt coat of arms, a traditional garden enclosed with walls, and an English park planted with maples and charms. The medieval undergrounds, starting from the 13th century vaults, once linked the castle to Saint-Jean-d-Angely. The historic entrance was marked by two pillars decorated with lions, now gone.

The Perraudeau family deeply marked the history of the place: Pierre-Auguste Perraudeau (1701-1781), prosecutor and mayor, was sometimes cited as owner in 1763, although the archives confirm the purchase by his son René-Joseph-Benoît. Their descendants, such as Antonine-François-Auguste Perraudeau de Beaufief (1836-1896), perpetuate the legacy until its extinction. The castle then passed to the Masson de La Sauzaye, including Marie-Pierre-Henry, who died for France in 1915.

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