Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Clermont, located at the Cellier in the Loire-Atlantique, was built between 1643 and 1649 by René Chenu, lord of Lendormière, on the site of an old monastery destroyed in 845. This castle reflects Louis XIII architecture, with its brick and stone facades, slate roofs and central pavilion. It was conceived after the victory of Rocroy (1643), symbol of French military glory under Louis XIV.

The Chenu family, vassal of the princes of Condé, kept the estate for two centuries. René Chenu, a gentleman of the King's House, died there in 1672. His descendants, including Hardy Chenu and François Chenu, perpetuated the line until 1711, when the property passed by marriage to the families Nicolas de Claye and then La Bourdonnaye. During the Revolution, the castle was sequestered before being returned to the Juchault des Jamonières family in 1814.

In the 19th century, the castle changed hands several times, passing from Nau de Maupassant (1860-1963) to Louis de Funès in 1967. The actor lived there until his death in 1983, restoring the estate and developing a rose garden. After its sale in 1986 to ADAH, an association for disabled people, the castle was transformed into housing in 2005. Between 2014 and 2016, its orangery housed a museum dedicated to Louis de Funès.

Ranked a historic monument in 1941, Clermont Castle combines a preserved architectural heritage (30 rooms, 365 windows, 17th century chapel) and a history marked by local and national figures. Its 3-hectare park and 17 hectares of vineyards dominate the Loire, offering a panorama of the Maguges and the Muscadet vineyards. The building illustrates the transition between the fortified 16th century castles and the 17th century residences.

The architecture of the castle mixes traditional elements (tourelles, mâchicoulis) with innovations of the period (Italianized wings, reception pavilions). The southern façade, unchanged since the 17th century, is represented in the Gaignières collection of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The chapel, equipped with an original altarpiece, and the 19th century barn complete this historical complex, a witness to the social and cultural developments of the region.

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