Reconstruction of the castle 1730-1740 (≈ 1735)
Castle rebuilt on the basis of a mansion.
1912
Owned by Henri Gonse
Owned by Henri Gonse 1912 (≈ 1912)
Start of the gardens.
1915
Repurchase by Octave Join-Lambert
Repurchase by Octave Join-Lambert 1915 (≈ 1915)
New owner before reconstruction.
1920
Similar reconstruction
Similar reconstruction 1920 (≈ 1920)
Castle rebuilt with concrete frame.
31 août 1993
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 31 août 1993 (≈ 1993)
Protection of the estate and its gardens.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Avenue of access and avenue perpendicular to it; the main courtyard, with its walls, its hopping-of-loup and its gate; the facades and roofs of the castle and the communes located on both sides, as well as the house of the gardener, the orangery and the buildings of the farm; terraces, with their walls, their stairs, the round basin, the Italian theater, including the beds with their carmills and topiary; the two vegetable gardens with their walls, stairs and grills; the small wood to the east and the orchards with their fence walls and wrought iron grills (cad. C 73-75, 82-84, 91, 118, 144-153): registration by order of 31 August 1993
Key figures
Octave Join-Lambert - Owner and patron
Purchased and rebuilt the castle.
François-Benjamin Chaussemiche - Chief Architect
Directed the reconstruction of 1920.
Henri Gonse - Former owner
Owned the estate in 1912.
Origin and history
The Monceaux estate, located in Méhoudin, Orne, has its origins in a 16th century mansion. It was entirely rebuilt between 1730 and 1740, adopting an architectural style characteristic of the first half of the 18th century. The first gardens, inspired by Italian models, date back to the same period, marking the beginning of an ambitious landscape development.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the estate experienced a second revival. In 1912, Henri Gonse owned it, before it was bought in 1915 by his cousin, Octave Join-Lambert. The latter undertook an identical reconstruction of the castle in 1920, using a reinforced concrete frame, under the direction of architect François-Benjamin Chaussemiche, then stationed at Versailles Castle. The gardens were enriched at that time, notably with the creation of an orangery in 1920 and the development of an exceptional set of topiary.
The estate is listed as historical monuments by order of 31 August 1993. This protection covers not only the castle and its communes, but also the vegetable gardens, terraces, orchards, and the park of topiary, as well as architectural elements such as orangery, gardener's house and farm buildings. The ensemble thus illustrates both the heritage of the eighteenth century and the transformations of the early twentieth century.
The architecture of the estate reflects a stylistic continuity between the two construction periods, despite the use of modern techniques in 1920. The gardens, on the other hand, are considered a high place of topiary art in France, combining classical elements (Italian theatre, round basin) and more recent developments. The domain remains a remarkable testimony to the evolution of tastes and techniques in terms of built and landscaped heritage.
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