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Origin and history

The manor house of the Courtinière, located in Beaumont-en-Veron (Indre-et-Loire), is a former farm dependent on the priory of the commune. Dated from the first quarter of the sixteenth century, it was redesigned at the end of the same century. Today it preserves an entrance gate surmounted by a gallery, likely remains of a round road, as well as facades decorated with pilasters and carved motifs. These elements, characteristic of the Renaissance, could be the remains of a larger demolished assembly or unfinished construction.

To the north-east of the courtyard remains the ruins of a chapel, bearing witness to its religious origin. The mansion changed owners several times: acquired in 1636 by Roland Tardif, he then moved to Jehan Dreux in the 18th century, then to François Mangot, king's adviser, before being owned by Augustin Pierre Quirit de Coulaine and Denis du Moustier between 1824 and 1830. Its most remarkable elements (gateway and facades) were listed as historical monuments on May 6, 1927.

According to the archives, the manor house originally included agricultural buildings (grange, press, dovecote), a walled garden and animal roofs, typical of the turangelle farms of the time. An act of seizure of 1636, kept at Coulaine Castle, mentions these unfinished developments. The site thus illustrates the evolution of rural areas between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, combining agricultural, religious and residential functions.

The carved decorations of the facades, combining pilasters and adorned motifs, reflect the influence of the architectural styles of the Renaissance in Touraine. Their fragmentary state questions the history of the site: early abandonment or partial destruction. The chapel, though ruined, confirms the close link between the mansion and the priory of Beaumont-en-Veron, a major religious institution in the region.

The inscription to the historical monuments in 1927 allowed to preserve these remains, now studied for their heritage value and their representation of the seigneurial farms of the sixteenth century. Research, like that of Frédérique Guilbaud (2004), highlights his role in the rural and architectural history of the Touraine.

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