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Château du Percher à Saint-Martin-du-Bois en Maine-et-Loire

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine défensif
Demeure seigneuriale
Château
Maine-et-Loire

Château du Percher

    N162
    49500 Saint-Martin-du-Bois

Timeline

Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
1495-1515
Reconstruction of the castle
fin XVe siècle
East Wing Construction
1er quart du XVIe siècle
Late construction campaign
1855-1860
Major restoration and additions
1922
First MH ranking
1930
Restoration of the skylights
1965
Roof classification
1968
Classification of the chapel
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Façades: by order of 23 June 1922; Roofing (Case B 247, 248): classification by order of 30 September 1965; Chapelle (Box B 248): Order of 11 March 1968

Key figures

Pierre de Tinténiac - Lord and Rebuilder Sponsor of works (1495-1515).
Guillaume de Tinténiac - Lord and Rebuilder Associated with Pierre for reconstruction.
Gérome Darmel - Glass painter Author of stained glass (1855-1860).
Hardion - Chief Architect Restoration of the skylights in 1930.
Bricard - Architect of Historical Monuments Hardion collaborator in 1930.
Henri Enguehard - Historian and archaeologist Author of a study in 1964.

Origin and history

The Château du Percher, located in Saint-Martin-du-Bois (Maine-et-Loire), is an iconic Louis XII building built between the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Its architecture reflects a transition between the flamboyant Gothic and the Italianizing influences of the Renaissance. The eastern wing, dating from the late 15th century thanks to its carved skylights, seems to precede the north wing, decorated with bays with later decoration (1st quarter of the 16th century). The chapel, originally dedicated to Saint-Aubin and then to Notre-Dame-de-Pitié, presents a Latin cross plan and a vault with liernes and thirdons, characteristic of the late Gothic.

The castle was rebuilt between 1495 and 1515 by Pierre and Guillaume de Tinténac, lords of the place, on an old fief of Bouillé-Théval. The staircase tower, remarkable for its octagonal shape at the base and square in the upper part, as well as the two bodies of buildings in square, illustrate the adaptation of medieval architectural models to new trends. Major restoration campaigns took place between 1855 and 1860, including the chapel (Gerome Darmel's windows) and the construction of communes. In 1930, the fragile skylights were restored by architects Hardion and Bricard.

Ranked as a historical monument on three occasions (1922 for facades, 1965 for roofs, and 1968 for the chapel), the castle of Percher bears witness to the evolution of artistic tastes between the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Its steeped campanile, pavilion roofs, and residual defensive elements (such as the tower with a conical roof) make it a rare example of transitional seigneurial architecture. The sources, including Henri Enguehard's work (1964), underline its heritage importance in Anjou.

The site, open to the visit, retains a local accuracy considered "very satisfactory" (note 8/10), with an address referenced in the Merimée database. The successive protections cover all the facades, roofs, and the chapel, highlighting its historical and architectural value. The 19th century restorations, although partially documented, preserved its authenticity while adapting to modern uses (room rental, guest rooms).

External links