Construction of the tower XVIIe siècle (≈ 1750)
Square tower with preserved murals.
XVIIIe siècle
Development of the bourgeois house
Development of the bourgeois house XVIIIe siècle (≈ 1850)
Living room with typical canvases and panel.
2 septembre 1997
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 2 septembre 1997 (≈ 1997)
Home and tower protection.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Buildings composing the house: 18th century house (with in particular its living room clothed with painted canvases), tower and the building adjacent to it to the west (cad. AC 152): inscription by decree of 2 September 1997
Key figures
Information non disponible - No characters cited in the sources
The accessible archives do not mention any owner or architect attributed to this house.
Origin and history
The house of Varrains, located at 100 Grande-Rue in the municipality of the same name, is an emblematic residence of the 17th and 18th centuries. This building illustrates the bourgeois architecture of Anjou, with characteristic elements such as a three-storey square tower, one of which houses a cabinet decorated with 17th century murals. The living room of the house, typical of the eighteenth century, is distinguished by its painted canvases, its panelled cupboards and a decorated fireplace, reflecting the refinement of the period.
Listed as historical monuments by order of 2 September 1997, the house also includes a building adjacent to the west, protected for its heritage interest. The accuracy of its location is estimated as "passible" (level 5/10), with an official address recorded in the Merimée database. This monument bears witness to the evolution of the easy habitat in Maine-et-Loire, between medieval heritage (the tower) and architectural innovations of the Lights.
The commune of Varrains, attached to the department of Maine-et-Loire in the Pays de la Loire, is part of a territory marked by a rich heritage, where the bourgeois houses sit alongside religious and wine-making buildings. In modern times, this region was dynamic thanks to agriculture, especially the vineyard, and river trade via the Loire. Homes such as this served as both a residence and a symbol of social status for wealthy families, often linked to local activities or royal offices.
Today, the residence of the Grande-Rue remains a preserved example of this heritage, although its access to the public (visits, rental, accommodation) is not explicitly documented in available sources. Its inscription among the historical monuments of Maine-et-Loire underlines its importance for the understanding of regional history and the evolution of lifestyles between the 17th and 18th centuries.
