Templar Foundation XIIIe siècle (≈ 1350)
Original command of the Order of the Temple.
XVe–XVIIIe siècles
Architectural transformations
Architectural transformations XVe–XVIIIe siècles (≈ 1850)
Logis and outbuildings renovated in closed courtyard.
24 avril 1989
Official protection
Official protection 24 avril 1989 (≈ 1989)
Registration of facades and roofs.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Façades and roofs of all the buildings composing the estate (Case C 405) : inscription by decree of 24 April 1989
Key figures
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Origin and history
The Château de la Touche, located in La Réorthe in Vendée (Pays de la Loire), was originally a Templar Commandery founded in the 13th century, before passing to the Order of Malta. The current buildings, remodeled between the 15th and 18th centuries, form a house in a closed courtyard, including a manor, outbuildings (house of monks, barn, stable, dovecote), and facades protected since 1989. This site illustrates the transition between medieval military architecture and the seigneurial habitat of Modern Times.
The ensemble, still privately owned, exceptionally opens its exteriors to the public in summer (July-August) and during the Heritage Days (3rd weekend in September). A Christmas market is held there every second Sunday in December. The commandory, classified as a historical monument for its facades and roofs, bears witness to the legacy of religious-military orders in Vendée, while integrating elements of rural and aristocratic habitat of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The location of the site, at La Touche, is attested by GPS coordinates and a postal address (5066 La Touche, 85210 La Réorthe). The visits, free of charge, are supervised by precise schedules and a compulsory reservation, reflecting a desire to preserve while allowing controlled access to the heritage. The ban on picnics or on-site smoking underlines the fragility of the site, while the presence of a dovecote and barn recalls the historical agricultural and logistical functions of the estate.
