Destruction of the old castle 1837 (≈ 1837)
Replaced by the current home.
1835-1841
Construction of the neo-classical house
Construction of the neo-classical house 1835-1841 (≈ 1838)
Palladian villa style by Guillemet/Joly-Leterme.
1843
Building the commons
Building the commons 1843 (≈ 1843)
Frames painted imitation brick.
15 novembre 1996
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 15 novembre 1996 (≈ 1996)
Façades, roofs, garden and gate protected.
2025
Summer opening and Heritage Days
Summer opening and Heritage Days 2025 (≈ 2025)
Guided tours and public access.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Façades and roofs of all the buildings comprising the castle, vegetable garden and lower yard, with the alleys that open the perspectives on the castle, as well as the fences (cad. E 235, 237): registration by order of 15 November 1996
Key figures
Armand Guillemet - French architect
Master assigned to the house.
Charles Joly-Leterme - Lumurese architect
Mentioned by the owner family.
Origin and history
The Château des Coutures is a neo-classical residence built between 1835 and 1841 in Vivy, in the department of Maine-et-Loire, in the style of Palladian villa. The Dutch architect Armand Guillemet is the architect assigned to him, although the owner family also evokes Charles Joly-Leterme, a Saumurian architect. The castle replaced an old building destroyed in 1837, and its Italian-inspired home ended in 1841, accompanied by a park at the same time. The communes, with frames of brick-painted bays, were erected in 1843 and extended in 1882 and 1901 with housing, sheds and a greenhouse.
The estate, composed of tuffeau facades, includes a vegetable garden, a lower yard and alleys offering perspectives on the castle. The ensemble has been listed in the Historical Monuments since 15 November 1996, protecting its buildings, fences and surroundings. The site exceptionally opens to the public during Heritage Days and in summer (July-August), with guided tours highlighting its architecture and history.
Available sources, including Wikipedia and the Merimée base, highlight its membership in the 19th-century Angelian heritage, marked by neo-classical influence and agricultural developments typical of the great properties of the period. The castle thus illustrates the evolution of aristocratic residences towards more functional models, integrating farms and landscaped spaces. Its official address, 91 rue de Neuillé in Vivy (49680), makes it a major point of interest in the Pays de la Loire.
