Reconstruction of the housing body 1841 (≈ 1841)
First major work campaign.
1876-1877
First enlargement
First enlargement 1876-1877 (≈ 1877)
Extension of the castle by Charles Haviland.
1894-1895
Second enlargement
Second enlargement 1894-1895 (≈ 1895)
Additional architectural changes.
1908-1909
Realization of the Grand Salon
Realization of the Grand Salon 1908-1909 (≈ 1909)
Added a modern reception space.
24 janvier 1994
Registration of facades and roofs
Registration of facades and roofs 24 janvier 1994 (≈ 1994)
Partial protection as Historic Monument.
Fin du XIXe siècle
Establishment of the park
Establishment of the park Fin du XIXe siècle (≈ 1995)
Work attributed to André Laurent.
6 novembre 1995
Classification of the fleet
Classification of the fleet 6 novembre 1995 (≈ 1995)
Recognition of its landscape value.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Fronts and roofs of the castle; living room (cad. B 171): entry by order of 24 January 1994. Park B 156 to 162, 165, 166, 169, 170, 172, 174, 336, 364 and 362p, part east of Parcel 362 bounded by a fictitious line extending from the angle formed by Parcels 362, 363, 364 to the first angle west of the boundary of Parcels 156 and 362): classification by order of 6 November 1995
Key figures
Charles Haviland - Porcelainier and owner
Sponsor of 19th century enlargements.
André Laurent - Landscape architect
Presumed park designer.
Origin and history
The Château du Reynou, located in Le Vigen in Haute-Vienne, is a country residence built mainly between the 2nd quarter of the 19th century and the 1st quarter of the 20th century. This historic monument was owned by Charles Haviland, a famous pig farmer, who introduced a lifestyle inspired by the United States in the last decades of the 19th century. The house body, rebuilt in 1841, was enlarged in 1876-1877, then in 1894-1895, while the large living room was built between 1908 and 1909. These transformations reflect the changing tastes and uses of an expanding industrial bourgeoisie.
The castle park, designed at the end of the 19th century, is attributed to landscape architect André Laurent. It is distinguished by a rigorous architectural composition, organized around three walks and a set of seasonal colors. This ambitious project aimed to create a harmony between nature and artifice, typical of the picturesque gardens of the time. Despite its partial classification as Historic Monument in 1994 and 1995, the estate is now abandoned, reflecting the decline of certain aristocratic or bourgeois residences in the Limousin.
The castle embodies a mixture of French and American influences, notably through its interior design and park. The 1908-1909 large living room symbolizes this period of transition to modern comfort, while the facades and roofs, protected since 1994, recall the 19th century architectural heritage. The park, classified in 1995, covers several plots and illustrates the importance attached to green spaces in the properties of that time. Despite its current state, the site remains a valuable testimony to the industrial and social history of Limousin.
