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Origin and history

The château de Hauteville, located in Charchigné in the department of Mayenne, originally belonged to the seigneury of Lassay. Its feudal origins date back to the 14th century with Livet's family, then it passed into the hands of the Hauteville, Arquenay and Angennes before being acquired in 1586 by the Hardas family. This castle, symbol of wealth and power, is marked by noble alliances and conflicts, especially during the French Revolution.

In the 18th century, the Marquis Charles du Hardas (1743-1819) undertook an ambitious reconstruction of the castle, entrusting the plans to architect Pierre Pommeyrol. The works, begun in 1783, were interrupted by revolutionary disturbances. The castle, looted and threatened with fire in 1789, barely escaped total destruction but suffered major damage. Despite this, it remains an imposing building, with an avenue designed by André Le Nôtre and a facade decorated with sculptures.

The castle reached its peak in the 19th century under the property of the Hardas, then the Montesquiou-Fézensac. In 1873 he moved to Mathilde de Montesquiou-Fézensac, who inherited him before marrying composer Charles-Marie Widor in 1920. However, an accidental fire in 1922, triggered by a central heating defect, completely ravages the castle. Only a few parts, such as the chapel and vaulted cellars, are spared.

After the destruction, the estate fell into ruins and was gradually sold by parcels. In the 1960s, it was bought by the Bordelet family, former farmers. Since the 1990s, Éric Bordelet, an oenologist and sommelier, has been undertaking restoration work to revive the castle, notably by installing a calvado farm in the preserved cellars.

The château de Hauteville illustrates the architectural and social evolution of the French nobility, from medieval origins to the Revolution, including a renaissance in the 18th century and a tragic destruction in the 20th century. Its ruins, which are now being rehabilitated, are reminiscent of its lavish past and the historic upheavals that have marked it.

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