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Origin and history

The Château de Carheil, located in Plessé in the Loire-Atlantique, was initially a medieval estate mentioned in the 15th century. In 1407, Jeanne de Carheil, heiress of the place, married Guillaume Giffart, marking the beginning of a local seigneurial lineage. In the 17th century, the family of the Cambout de Coislin, from a Breton noble branch, acquired Carheil and transformed the former castle into a Louis XIII style residence between 1659 and 1668, under the direction of architect Gilles Corbineau. The land was then erected in royal letters in 1659.

In 1842, ruined by the events of 1832, the estate was sold to the Prince of Joinville, François d'Orléans, son of King Louis-Philippe. The latter modernises the castle, adding a chapel to the stained glass windows designed by the Sèvres factory after drawings by Ingres, and a terrace bordering the Isac. The property then changed hands several times: bought in 1853 by Pauline de Guaita, it passed to her daughter Adèle de Mesny, then to the Gourlez de La Motte family, before being acquired in 1923 by Count Jacques Armand. The castle, occupied until 1945, was finally destroyed by fire in January this year.

Today, the estate houses a private residence, the Domaine de Carheil, but the 19th century chapel, listed as a Historic Monument in 1980, remains accessible during Heritage Days. It is the last vestige of the castle rebuilt by the Prince of Joinville, bearing witness to its architectural and historical heritage. The stained glass windows, remarkable works of art, and the integrity of the interior decoration have motivated this heritage protection.

The medieval origins of Carheil are linked to strategic marriage alliances, such as that of Guillaume de Carheil with Jeanne Spadine in 1511, or of their descendant François with Aline le Bourg in 1555. The family of the Cambout, owner of six generations (1619–42), exerts a major influence there, with figures such as René du Cambout, governor of the castles of Rhuys and Suscinio, or his son, bishop of Tarbes. Their financial decline in the 19th century opened the way for the transformation of the castle by the July monarchy.

The location of the castle, 3 km southwest of Plessé and 45 km from Nantes, makes it an isolated site in a forest estate. This framework reflects its historical role as a seigneurial residence and then a princely residence away from urban centres. The chapel, the only intact structure, symbolizes both the aristocratic piety and the architectural fascist of the Second Empire, thanks to the interventions of the Prince of Joinville and the artisans of the Sèvres manufacture.

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