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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château du Vivier des Landes, originally a 15th century medieval mansion, was a fief of Château-la-Vallière. The ancient archives describe it as a place subject to feudal duties, as the supply of an annual bird chaperon. Surrounded by moat today partly dried, it retained typical defensive elements: drawbridge, poterne, and a stone screw staircase characteristic of the military architecture of the period.

In 1815 the English noble Sir Thomas Stanhope Holland acquired ownership and undertook a major transformation. He used the stones of the castle of Vaujours, which he bought in the same year, to erect two southern towers and a large living room. He also built stables, a chapel, and a brewery, marking the beginning of a metamorphosis towards a neo-Gothic style. The cadastral plans of 1810 then mentioned three towers; After its work, the castle will have five of them, some of them with glass windows or gold copper.

From 1834 onwards, the Count and Countess of Brissac continued to develop, adding two more towers, rearranging the stables (with 24 carved columns) and transforming the brewery into a musical salon, reflecting the aristocratic entertainment of the Second Empire. The restored chapel has a altar and a wooden altar, while the medieval moat, though filled, remains visible to the east and south. These modifications give the castle its present appearance, mixing medieval heritage and romantic additions.

In the 20th century, the estate was opened to the public in 1991 with the addition of an 18-hole golf course. Since 1989, the castle houses a hotel, the Seven Tours Golf Castle, combining heritage and modernity. Ranked a historical monument in 1993 for its outbuildings (orangerie, stable, chapel), it preserves Louis XV and Directoire furniture, as well as works by the painter Constant Troyon in the form of original wallpapers. The ditches, the monumental fireplace of the 15th century, and the window added to the facade testify to its architectural evolution.

Today, the 76-hectare estate includes, in addition to the castle, a golf course, a brewery in the old chapel, and rooms dedicated to events. Reprised in 2013 by the Group Docte Gestion, the site combines history and leisure, with elements such as the Pavillon de Chasse (old music salon) or the Orangerie (renovated stables), while preserving medieval traces such as the groove of the drawbridge or the vaults of the basement.

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