Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Madeleine was built on a historic site occupied by a priory dedicated to Marie-Madeleine, founded by Adjutor de Vernon as early as 1129. The first castle, built in 1772 by Father Charles Morin of the Marais Vernier, the last abbot of Paimpont, was destroyed during the Revolution. This original Baroque monument gives way to a progressive reconstruction, marked by varied styles and influential owners.

In 1811 General Brémond erected a new house on the ruins. The poet Casimir Delavigne became the owner of it from 1824 to 1839, composing a poem farewell to the property. In 1839, Antoine René de Perier, mayor of Pressagny-l The major transformation took place in 1864 when Baroness Thénard, the daughter-in-law of Louis Jacques Thénard, bought the castle and the remodeling in a neo-Renaissance style, also redrawing the gardens. The property remained in his family until 1915.

In the 20th century, the castle underwent significant architectural changes. In 1932, architect Francisco Gianotti added an Art Deco wing, while the chapel was restored in 1952. After a period of abandonment and looting in the 1960s and 1970s, the Clermont family began a life-saving restoration from 1980. The 11-hectare park, classified since 1937, and the castle, listed as historical monuments in 2002, now bear witness to this eclectic heritage, combining neogothic, neo-Renaissance and Art Deco.

The castle is distinguished by its composite structure: four wings with distinct facades (neogothic to the north, monumental portal to the west, neo-Renaissance to the south, and Art Deco to the east) organized around a courtyard. Its interior and exterior décor reflect this stylistic diversity. Private property, it now houses guest rooms, perpetuating its link with the Norman territory and its turbulent history.

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