Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Touche, in Nozay (Loire-Atlantique), originated in the Middle Ages, with a first mansion belonging to the Sorin family from 1413. In 1437, Jeanne du Moulin, lady of the Touch, founded a chapelry dedicated to Saint Michel, later transferred to the private chapel of the estate. This dilapidated medieval mansion was finally razed in the 19th century to give way to the present castle, built in 1827 by François de Monti de Rezé.

Over the centuries, the estate frequently changed hands, passing between the Sorin, Frosy, Tréguët families, and then Pirault in the 16th century. Pierre Pirault, annoyed in 1538, marked the beginning of a period of prestige for the Touche, which became a chestnut in 1611 under Louis XIII. The Cornulier family, which owned the estate from 1563 to 1718, played a central role, notably with Claude de Cornulier, who obtained ecclesiastical and feudal privileges.

The French Revolution was a blow to the castle: it was burned in 1790 by patriots, and then occupied by the Prussians in 1815, who further damaged it. Reconstructed in 1827, he suffered a new fire in 1987. Since 1990, restoration work, supported by the heritage services, has been aimed at preserving the communes (classified in 1988) and the main body of the castle.

The communes, registered as historical monuments in 1988, testify to the architectural importance of the site. The castle, still owned by the Bois de Makeup family since the 19th century, illustrates the social and political transformations of the region, from feudal lords to post-revolutionary landowners.

Among the notable owners were Toussaint de Comaille, controller of the Marine du Ponant, or François de Montmorency, whose family tried to recover the estate by feudal withdrawal in the 18th century. The castle remains a symbol of power struggles and aristocratic heritages in Pays de la Loire.

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