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Origin and history

The Château de Senonches, located in the municipality of the same name in Eure-et-Loir, has its origins in the Middle Ages. The first fortifications, on earth, probably date from the 11th century, a period of clearing and development of the towns. The present dungeon, built in the 12th and 16th centuries, has been classified as a historical monument since 1923, while the facades and roofs of the house bodies adjacent to the east of the dungeon have been inscribed since 1984. This castle, originally linked to the defence of the French crown, was integrated into the County of Perche after the disappearance of the Barony of Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais in the 13th century.

In the 12th century, Senonches was under the influence of the lords of Thymerais, then passed to the Counts of Perche, who became Dukes of Alençon until 1525. On that date, problems of inheritance detach Senonches from the Perche, and the seigneury is acquired by the Italian house of the Gonzague-Mantua, Dukes of Nevers. In 1566 Charles IX erected Brezolles and Senonches as principality of Mantua for the benefit of Louis IV de Gonzague-Nevers. The coats of arms of the city, always visible, date back to this time and symbolize this blissful period.

The castle lost its military role at the beginning of the 17th century, but underwent major architectural changes under the impetus of its new owners. In 1654 Charles II de Mantue sold the land of Senonches to François-Marie de Broglie, Count of Revel, whose widow sold it in 1667 to Henri Jules de Bourbon-Condé, Duke of Enghien. The latter, called Marquis de Senonches by courtesy, marks the beginning of a period of modernization of the village and the development of local metallurgical activities, such as forges and lime ovens.

Between 1667 and the French Revolution, Senonches was possessed by great lords, including the princes of Condé and Conti, then the Count of Provence, future Louis XVIII. Although these lords reside little on site, their influence stimulated the expansion of the castle and the modernization of the centre-bourg between 1719 and 1747. Industrial activities, such as charcoal production for stoves, become central to the local economy.

In the 20th century, the castle, having lost any defensive or seigneurial function, became a symbol of local heritage. The commune of Senonches, merged in 1972 with Tardais and La Ville-aux-Nonains, highlights its history through the restoration of the Old Castle and the promotion of its exceptional forest environment, as the federal forest of Senonches, one of the largest in France. Today, the castle partially houses local institutions and remains an architectural witness to the political and social developments of the Perche.

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