Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Lassay was born in the 11th century, during the wars of William the Conqueror, because of its strategic position on the border of Maine, Brittany and Normandy. Originally, it was probably a simple castrum, composed of a dungeon on a mound, wooden enclosures and a chapel, as evidenced by a 1387 text evoking a "small tower". Over the centuries, the fortress was strengthened, notably by Pierre de Vendôme, who inherited it by marriage with Jeanne de Mayenne, daughter of Juhel III. Its vulnerability to the English armies at the beginning of the 15th century led to its partial destruction in 1422 on the order of the Duchess of Anjou.

Reconstructed between 1458 and 1459 under Charles VII's permission, the castle adopted its present form: an irregular octagon flanked by eight towers, including two circulars and six in horseshoe, adapted to the nascent artillery. The barbacan was later added in 1497-1498. In the 16th century, the castle, then owned by John II of Ferrières, vidame of Chartres and Huguenot, was besieged and taken in 1589 by the royal Catholic troops of James II Goyon of Matignon. He then passed to Charlotte du Tillet, creditor of the last lord, before being acquired in 1639 by Isaac de Madaillan de Lesparre, who raised him to the rank of marquisat.

In the 17th century Armand de Madaillan partially altered the fortress by adding a mansart-style building, partially demolished in the 19th century by the Marquis de Beauchêne, which restored the drawbridge and ditches. The castle, classified as a Historical Monument in 1862, preserved its 15th century murals in the old chapel (classified in 1963). In the 18th century, it belonged to Villars-Brancas, allied with the Madaillan. Victor Hugo drew it in 1836, while in the 20th century Charles Trenet attempted to acquire it in 1941. Since 2015, renovations have been carried out, and the site hosts historic performances in summer.

Architecturally, the castle illustrates the transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, combining defensive elements (machicoulis, cannon burning) and subsequent residential developments. Its eight towers, connected by courtines, make it a rare example of a castle adapted to firearms. The successive protections (classifications of 1862, 1963 and 1964) underline its heritage importance. Today it is privately owned but open to the public, attracts about 10,000 visitors annually and has received recent distinctions, such as the Dassault Grand Trophy for its heritage.

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