Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Bourgonnière, located in the commune of Bouzillé (Orée d'Anjou, Maine-et-Loire), is a castral site with multiple historical strata. Its medieval nucleus dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries, with a 15th century dungeon and master tower, complemented by a 16th century chapel decorated with remarkable polychromy. These remains, partially destroyed during the Vendée wars, bear witness to an old occupation and an initial defensive function.

At the beginning of the 19th century, between 1810 and 1820, a neoclassical castle was built on the ruins of the house of the 16th century, incorporating a perron of that time. This project is part of a reorganization of the estate, including the creation of a medieval hydraulic network (doves or canals) regulated by an artificial water holding. The architect François-Léonard Seheult is associated with this transformation, which marks the transition from a fortress to an aristocratic residence.

The estate was acquired in 1824 by Jean Louis Bertrand de Saint-Pern, from the Breton nobility, and has since remained in this family. He became a place of local power: Henri de Saint-Pern (1874-1945), Marquis and MP for Maine-et-Loire, then his son Henri-Jean (1915-1984), Marquis and mayor of Bouzillé from 1952 to 1977, resided there. These political figures anchor the castle in the social and administrative history of the region.

The site also includes two distinct chapels: a 17th-century chapel, known as "Ma'am", potentially linked to Protestant worship, and a 19th-century chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph, near the entrance gate. These religious buildings reflect the cultural and religious evolutions of the estate. The main tower, modified around 1900 by the addition of a watch at the stair turret, illustrates late architectural adaptations.

Ranked a historic monument in 1924 for its chapel, the castle is the subject of successive protections: inscription of the facades and roofs in 1963, of the archaeological plate of the medieval mansion in 1995, and of the remains of the sixteenth century and of the hydraulic network in 2008. These measures highlight the heritage value of a complex of eight centuries of history, from medieval fortifications to neoclassical residence.

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