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Origin and history

La Masselière is a neo-classical mansion built in 1822 in Cornillé-les-Caves, Maine-et-Loire department. This estate, composed of agricultural land, wood and wetlands, has been managed for more than four centuries by the same bourgeois family. Its architecture reflects the social ascent of an angeline elite for whom land ownership was a mark of identity and prestige, especially through the acquisition of sieuries (domains of commoners without seigneurial rights).

The territory of Cornillé-les-Caves, divided since the 13th century between the abbeys of Perray-neuf and Ronceray, also housed bourgeois lands. La Masselière, originally owned by the Marquis family in the 16th century, passed successively to Le Tonnelier, Guilbault, then to the Charlery via matrimonial alliances. These families, often linked to urban offices (such as the Charlery, officers at the Candé salt attic), used these areas to establish their status. The construction of 1822 is part of this logic of land conquest by the post-revolutionary bourgeoisie.

The transmission of the domain illustrates the role of women in preserving heritage, although their social position depends on marriage. Jaquine Le Tonnelier and Marie-Jeanne Guilbault, successive heirs, allowed their husbands (Claude Guilbault and then Romain Charlery) to become sieurs de la Masselière. The estate, still in private hands, was listed at the Historical Monuments in 2007 for its remarkable facades, roofs, and interiors (living rooms, staircase, panoramic wallpapers).

Architecturally, Masselière combines a central body flanked by pavilions (hexagonal and square) and service buildings organized around a courtyard. Its neo-classical style and its partially realized programme testify to the ambitions of a rural bourgeoisie in search of legitimacy. The estate, open to activities such as guest rooms, remains a key element of the local heritage, linked to the agricultural and social history of Anjou.

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