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Origin and history

The Château des Cartes is an 18th-century building located in Sonzay, in the department of Indre-et-Loire, in the Centre-Val de Loire region. It is located at the place called Les Cartes, about 2 km northwest of the village, in the Tourangelle cake, about 20 kilometers from Tours. The estate, mentioned in 1105, was then given to the Abbey of Marmoutier. The modern castle, of classic style, was built by the family of the Rüe du Can de Champchevrier in the 18th century, probably replacing an older structure.

The building consists of a two-storey central body, flanked by two protruding pavilions and extended by two low wings. Its facades, rhythmic by pilasters and surmounted by a triangular pediment, as well as its roofs, were inscribed in historical monuments on 22 May 1948. The castle, still privately owned, illustrates the aristocratic residential architecture of the Touraine under the Old Regime.

The area of Maps, attested from the 12th century, was initially linked to the Benedictine Abbey of Marmoutier, founded near Tours in the 4th century. This donation in 1105 is part of the movement of constitution of the great monastic domains in Touraine, a region then marked by the influence of abbeys and the structuring of feudal territory. The reconstruction of the 18th century reflects the rise of modern seigneurial residences, symbols of local power and the classical taste of the period.

Today, the Château des Cartes remains a testament to this architectural and historical heritage, although its access is restricted due to its private property status. Its inscription in historical monuments guarantees the preservation of its most remarkable elements, while stressing its importance in the cultural landscape of the Touraine.

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