Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Saint-Maximin, mentioned in 1096, was ceded in 1156 by the king to the bishopric of Uzès. It preserves part of the medieval enclosure in fish edges, typical of the fortifications of the time. The tower and the southeast housing body date from the late 12th or early 13th century, while a wooden gallery, probably from the 14th century, linked these elements with lintel doors and traces of paintings.

In the 15th century, the gallery was rebuilt in hard form with cross-sections, while retaining the old facade visible in the traffic gallery. Improvements were made to this building between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. In 1714, Antoine Sconin, Racine's cousin, acquired the estate and launched a major reconstruction project: a new castle was built in the southwest corner and connected to the old one by a porch.

The western part, of cubic shape, dates from the beginning of the eighteenth century (between 1714 and 1729). The castle consists of two distinct parts: one medieval to the east, the other classical to the west. Elements such as the chapel on the first floor of the tower retain traces of 14th century paintings. The monument, partially protected since 1997, illustrates the architectural evolution between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

The building also includes an entrance courtyard and a small house opposite, both protected by the 1997 Order. Its history reflects the political and social transformations, from an episcopal fortress to an aristocratic residence, while preserving remarkable medieval vestiges such as the fish ridge apparatus.

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