Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de la Motte in Chalandray was first mentioned in 1389, although its current construction dates back to the second half of the 15th century. This seigneurial home illustrates the evolution of aristocratic residences at the end of the Middle Ages, combining residual defensive functions and increasing comfort. The main building, rectangular, is flanked by two cylindrical towers on the south façade and a pentagonal staircase tower opposite. The elevations, pierced by large crosses with fine mouldings, show a marked aesthetic concern, with lintels decorated with multiple accolades and gables decorated with feline sculptures in round-bosse.

The interiors kept their original distribution, with monumental chimneys in the main rooms and a remarkable screw staircase: its steps, dug by arcs of circle, play with light, while a small secondary staircase, housed in a corbelled turret, served a summital room. This castle is part of a series of 15th century houses characterized by their balance between military tradition (tours, dominant position) and residential innovations (luminosity, decorations). Ranked Historic Monument in 1995, it is now owned by a private company.

The location of the castle, in the present-day New Aquitaine (formerly Poitou-Charentes), reflects a region then marked by the post-war reconstruction of Hundred Years. Local lords, often close to the royal power or the ducal courts, built residences symbolizing their status, while integrating elements of comfort inspired by the nascent Loire castles. The absence of any mention of its original owners or its precise uses limits the knowledge of its exact role, but its architecture makes it a key witness to the transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

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