Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Collège des Roches-Tranchelion, located in Avon-les-Roches (Indre-et-Loire), is part of a historical complex including the ruins of a 15th century castle. The site, classified as a historic monument in 1914, is marked by a complex seigneurial history, linked to the families of Tranchelion and Tousche. The collegiate church, built between 1510 and 1527 by Lancelot de la Tousche, replaces a castral chapel dedicated to Marie-Madeleine, founded in 1440 by Guillaume de Tranchelion, chamberlain of the kings Charles VI and Charles VII.

The Domaine des Roches, originally called "Les Roches", passed to the Tranchelion in the 15th century after the marriage of Guillaume de Tranchelion with Guillemette Horric, heiress of the fief. William, close to Charles VII, strengthened the castle and welcomed the king on several occasions, notably in 1449, where the Royal Council decided to resume hostilities against the English, marking a turning point in the Hundred Years' War. The site became a favourite hunting spot for Charles VII and his favourite, Agnes Sorel.

In the 16th century, Hardouin de la Tousche, then his son Lancelot, transformed the estate. The latter erected the collegiate church between 1510 and 1524, on a Latin cross plane, mixing flamboyant styles and Renaissance. Consecrated in 1527 to Saint John the Baptist, it houses a family funeral crypt and also serves as a parish church. The college, damaged during the religious wars, was gradually abandoned after 1600, before being permanently deserted in the Revolution.

The castle, today in ruins, retains only scattered remains, while the collegiate, though degraded, still offers remarkable architectural elements, such as its western facade decorated with medallions and sculptures representing God the Father. In 1966, a treasure of 214 gold coins, buried after 1619, was discovered near the site. Since 2013, the association Les amis des Roches Tranchelion has been working for its development, although the preservation of the ruins, including the vault of the north transept, is a cause for concern.

The site is linked to major historical figures, such as Gabriel de Montgommery, the involuntary author of the death of Henry II in 1559, who briefly owns the estate before selling it. The Roches-Tranchelion then passed into the hands of noble families, including the Durfort and Beauvau, until the 18th century. Classified as a historical monument, the ruins today bear witness to a religious, seigneurial and royal heritage, emblematic of the Touraine.

External links