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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château des Arcis, located in Meslay-du-Maine in Mayenne (Pays de la Loire), was mentioned in the 14th century. It belonged mainly to the Cervon family until the 18th century, before passing into several hands, including that of the Raguenet de Saint-Albin from the late 19th century to 2003. The site is distinguished by its large courtyard surrounded by main buildings and outbuildings, as well as by moat fed by two streams. The imposing facade on the gardens includes a 15th to 16th century pavilion with a vaulted room transformed into a 19th century chapel, decorated with 16th century woodwork.

Charles de Cervon, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, embellished the estate by planting aisles of trees and erecting a chapel dedicated to Saint Sebastian, enriched with relics offered by dom Jean Girard, Prior of Saint-Calais. The castle underwent major transformations in the 19th century under the direction of Louis Garnier for M. Raguenet de Saint-Albin, including the addition of a pavilion and the modification of the moats, where remains of destroyed towers remain. The chapel, founded in 1412 by Jean Nepveu and increased in 1557 by Simon de Cervon, became a place of pilgrimage after his consecration in 1615 by Charles de Beaumanoir.

Ranked a historic monument in 2006, the castle preserves intact elements such as the dungeon, the 17th century stables, and structured gardens with orangery and vegetable garden. Protections also include home fairs, moat, and agricultural buildings. The works of the 19th century revealed foundations of missing towers and a turret integrated into the walls, testimonies of successive architectural changes. The estate thus illustrates the evolution of a medieval seigneury in aristocratic residence, marked by Renaissance additions and modern redevelopments.

The first benefit related to the castle was established in 1412 in the church of Meslay by Jean Nepveu, in tribute to his elder Macé Courtin. A papal bubble of Paul V (1612) granted indulgences to the visitors of the chapel Saint Sebastian, stressing its religious importance. The Cervon, owners for four centuries, installed their family vault and made this place a spiritual and social centre for the local nobility, as evidenced by the consecration ceremony of 1615, gathering a large crowd.

Today's buildings, though transformed, keep traces of successive phases: the dungeon and the communes of the late 16th century, the interior decorations of the 19th century, and a frame inspired by Philibert Delorme in the farm. The moat, terraced gardens, and orangery reflect the adaptation of the site to the tastes and needs of each era, from its medieval defensive function to its residential and agricultural role in the 18th and 19th centuries.

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