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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The manor house of the Fresnaye, located at Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné in Maine-et-Loire, was built in 1593 by Antoine Legras in a Renaissance style during the Wars of Religion. This monument preserves defensive elements such as moat, a drawbridge and scalds, as well as a remarkable stone barn. Inside, the original rooms, with their high ceilings and old fireplaces, bear witness to its seigneurial past.

Built on a former fiefdom of Forges en la Pommeraie, the manor house was successively owned by Louis Fouyer and his son Antoine in the 17th century, before remaining in the same family until the mid-19th century. At that time, it was acquired by Jarret de la Mairie, a lime manufacturer, which installed five furnaces and industrial infrastructure. The exploitation ceased for lack of coal, leaving room for a vineyard of more than 100 hectares.

In the 20th century, a fire in the 1970s destroyed much of the roof, restored ten years later. The mansion, which today hosts cultural and private events, has recovered its moat and drawbridge. Enlisted as historical monuments in 1986, it illustrates the evolution of a seigneurial estate towards a wine and cultural exploitation.

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