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Origin and history

The Ortière Manor House, also known as the Ortière Manor House, is a 15th-century building located in Monts, Indre-et-Loire. Its toponym, attested as early as 1201 in archives of the Abbey of Saint-Florent of Saumur, could derive from the Latin orbitaria ("moody place"), evoking a heavy soil marked by ruts. At the hinge of the 15th and 16th centuries, the fief belonged to Jacques de Beaune, the Superintendent of Finance of Francis I, among his many possessions.

In the 17th century, the manor house, transformed into an agricultural farmhouse, deteriorated due to a lack of regular maintenance. In 1722, Philippe Néricault Destouches acquired, but a legal challenge forced him to sell it in 1725. A 1779 description reveals elements that have since disappeared, such as a dovecote overtaking the gate. In the 19th century, commons deemed to be ungrateful were added, then demolished in the 21st century. Only the main house, framed by two low buildings, and a pentagonal staircase turret remain.

The manor house was partially listed as a historical monument in 1978 for its facades, roof and interior fireplace. His condition deteriorated in the 21st century, despite attempts to rehabilitate him since 2019. The site, isolated on a plateau north of Monts, close to the border with Joué-lès-Tours, preserves traces of its Gothic architecture: sled windows, spiral staircase, and half-timbered walls. The Napoleonic cadastre attests to a larger, now reduced, set.

Architecturally, the rectangular house features two high gables and a central stair tower, characteristic of the small 15th-century gentilhommières. The southern facade, once decorated with Gothic windows, underwent modifications in the 18th century. The entrance door, richly decorated, and an original window remain, while the openings of the floor, walled and then reopened, have lost their worked hinges. The well of the courtyard and the oven attest to its past domestic use.

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