Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Juigné, located in Montreuil-Juigné in Maine-et-Loire, is an emblematic example of late Gothic architecture. Built in the 15th century, it is distinguished by its shale main body, tufted bays, and a central pentagonal tower with a conical roof. Defensive elements, such as corbelled turrets, although decorative, recall its medieval origin. The facades, animated by toothed gables and brick chimneys added in the 17th and 19th centuries, illustrate successive architectural developments.

The estate was mentioned in the 13th century as a seigneurial motte, before a house was built in the 15th century by the family of Quatrebarbes. Over the centuries, it passes into the hands of several aristocratic lines: the Aubus (XVIth century), the Varice (XVIIth–XVIIIth centuries), then the Boreau de La Besnardière and the Duplat de Monticourt (XVIIIth–XIXth centuries). These families, often linked by marriage alliances, mark the history of the castle, especially with figures such as Félix Raymond Duplat de Monticourt, general councillor in the 19th century.

In the 19th century, the park was renovated by the seed farmer André Leroy, who introduced ornamental plantations and treed aisles into the romantic style. The castle, acquired by the municipality in 1982, became a municipal recreation centre. Its park, rich in centuries-old trees and exotic species like redwoods, is today a space dedicated to biodiversity and walks, while preserving traces of historical landscape developments.

The medieval origins of the castle are attested by elements such as the armored porterie and the splinters. Les Varice, lords of Juigné in the 17th and 18th centuries, resided there and left their mark, notably with Louis-François-Aimé de Varice, who married his daughter to the castle in 1778. The transmission of the estate by inheritance and alliances (especially with the families of Chaponay and Croÿ in the 20th century) reflects its social and heritage importance.

The castle illustrates the transition between a defensive and residential function, with successive changes that preserve its picturesque character. Local materials (schiste, tuffeau) and subsequent additions (brick roads) create an architectural contrast typical of Anjou. The water room and the park's perspectives, designed by Leroy, reinforce its landscape appeal, while the municipal archives and old postcards testify to its anchoring in local history.

Since 1982, the castle of Juigné, a communal property, embodies a place of memory and leisure for the inhabitants of Montreuil-Juigné. Its park, managed to promote biodiversity, houses remarkable trees such as a royal parasol pine and an ancient ife. The aristocratic marriages celebrated in the 20th century, like that of Isabelle of Croÿ, recall its past prestige, while its current use makes it a living space, mixing heritage and modernity.

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