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Origin and history

Champfleury Castle, located in Arquenay in the Pays de la Loire, is distinguished by its majestic driveway and moat. Pierre-François Davelu described it as "a rather beautiful castle with avenue leading to the great road from Sablé to Laval". André René Le Paige highlighted his neat architecture, his charmilles and his founded chapel, reflecting a place of prestige and spirituality.

The chapel, dedicated to Saint James, was endowed in 1423 by François d'Arquenay and blessed in 1429. It initially housed four weekly Masses, raised to six in 1550 thanks to Lancelotte d'Hauteville. The land of Champfleury, erected as a chestnut in 1578, included the seigneuries of Arquenay, Le Bignon and Maisoncelles. Owned by Arquenay as early as 1418, she passed to the Angennes in 1567 by the marriage of Julienne d'Arquenay with Nicolas d'Angennes.

In 1652 Philippe de Bouillé and his wife, Marie du Bois, acquired the estate. A drama occurred there in 1660 with the assassination of Julien Chaudet, Sieur de l'Étang, by a servant. Seized in 1682, the chestnut was bought in 1692 by Hyacinthe of Quatrebarbes. In 1708 René-François de Farcy became its owner, integrating Champfleury with his lineage. The Revolution saw the castle partially sold as national property in 1796, after the emigration of François-Annibal de Farcy.

The 19th century marked Champfleury as a foyer of resistance. In 1832, under Camille de Farcy, it was a centre of local uprising. The castle, with its tuffle staircase, its 19th century billiards and its vaulted cellar at constant temperature, embodies both historical and architectural heritage.

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