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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Marcheval Castle, located in Millançay in the Loir-et-Cher, is an 18th-century building built of bricks and stones. It replaces a castle mentioned at the end of the 15th century. Its architecture is distinguished by a south façade decorated with a triangular pediment and symmetrical wings extended by commons. The ensemble is lined with moats separating the esplanade from the inner courtyard, where there is also a square chapel surmounted by a bell tower and 19th century buildings (houses, stables).

The construction of the present castle is attributed to the 17th and 18th century boundary, for Louis Prondre de la Sibillière. An entry grid dated 1761 marks access to the domain. Among the earlier remains, a column base of the twelfth or thirteenth century, probably from a medieval chapel of the castle, was found in the village. The present chapel, built between the 17th and 18th centuries, completes this historical complex classified as a Historic Monument since 1976 for its facades and roofs.

The site also retains traces of its evolution, such as the house of the guard to the south and agricultural buildings from the nineteenth century to the west. These elements illustrate the successive transformations of the estate, mixing medieval heritage, classical architecture and subsequent adaptations. The moat and the arrangement of the commons underline the defensive and aesthetic importance of the place, typical of the aristocratic residences of the time.

The castle of Marcheval thus embodies centuries of history, from its medieval origins to its peak in the eighteenth century. Its classification among the Historical Monuments in 1976 recognizes the heritage value of its facades and roofs, while the preserved elements (grill, chapel, remains) offer a tangible testimony of its past.

Although the information on its current use (visits, rentals) is not specified, its architecture and history make it a remarkable example of the castral heritage of the Centre-Val de Loire region. The accuracy of its location (GPS address and Insee code) confirms its anchoring in the territory of Millançay, in the department of Loir-et-Cher.

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