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Origin and history

The house of the Villatte, located in Ansac-sur-Vienne in Charente, is a 16th and 17th century building, unchanged since its construction. It was the seat of an important barony with rights of high and low justice, transmitted by inheritance through several noble families. François de Pontbriand, Baron de la Villatte and ambassador to Italy, was the owner of the villa in the early 16th century. The estate then passed to his daughter Antoinette, then to Marin de Montchenu and Marie-Salomé, wife of Claude de Chateauvieux, Count of Confolens. The house never served as a principal residence for these families and was sold in 1786 to Admiral Alexis Poute, before being acquired as a national property.

The architecture of the house reflects its seigneurial status: a creneled portal leads to a lower courtyard surrounded by commons, while the manor house, in the form of square, comprises a wing of the 15th century and an extension of the 16th century. A screw staircase, located at the corner of both wings, and a corner tower reinforce its defensive system. The chapel, located in the west wing, is notable for its coffered ceiling. A round escape, symbol of seigneurial rights, and abrased square towers complete the whole. The house was inscribed in the historical monuments by order of 8 March 1991, including its facades, roofs, stairs and chapel.

In the 19th century, the house underwent improvements, such as the truncation of a 16th century gallery, of which three arcades remain on round piles. A 17th century wooden staircase, located in the south wing, bears witness to subsequent developments. Despite these changes, the house retains medieval and Renaissance elements, illustrating its turbulent history, linked to influential figures of the nobility and court of France. Its inscription as a historic monument underscores its heritage importance in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

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