Construction of the castle XVe-XVIe siècles (≈ 1650)
Former fief of the châtellenie de Vendeuvre.
21 septembre 1983
Classification and registration
Classification and registration 21 septembre 1983 (≈ 1983)
Protection of facades, roofs and moats.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The facades and roofs of the poterne with its two towers and the body of the main house (Box F 281): classification by decree of 21 September 1983; The enclosure walls with facades and roofs of the two corner towers to the north and south-west; moat with their bridge (cad. F 280, 281) : entry by order of 21 September 1983
Origin and history
The Château des Roches, located in Saint-Martin-la-Pallu near Vendeuvre-du-Poitou, is an emblematic monument of the 15th and 16th centuries. An ancient fiefdom of the châtellenie de Vendeuvre, it illustrates the castral architecture of transition between the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Its defensive elements, such as moats, towers and poternoids, testify to its strategic role, while the main home reflects the evolution of seigneurial lifestyles.
Ranked and inscribed in the Historical Monuments in 1983, the Château des Roches sees its facades, roofs, walls and moat protected by ministerial decree. The most significant remains of this site are the two towers flanked by the poterna and the two corner towers (north and southwest) and their access bridge. The official address links it to Vendeuvre-du-Poitou (code Insee 86281), although its GPS location precisely locates it in Saint-Martin-la-Pallu, in the department of Vienna.
At the time of its construction, the 15th and 16th centuries correspond to a period of profound change in Poitou-Charentes. The chestnuts, like that of Vendeuvre, structure the territory around local centres of power, where the lords play a central role in administration and defence. The castles, often redesigned for comfort, become symbols of prestige while retaining military functions, as evidenced by the moat and towers of the Château des Roches.
