Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Manor House of the Maldemeure, located in Champigné (Maine-et-Loire), is a building whose origins date back to at least the 14th century, although its construction spanned mainly between the second half of the 15th century, the 16th century and the 17th century. The main house body, rectangular in shape, dates mainly from the late 15th century, with a span of bays typical of the first Renaissance. This monument thus illustrates the architectural evolutions between the Middle Ages and the modern era, with significant additions and transformations over the centuries.

In the 17th century, the mansion underwent a major internal redistribution, including the addition of a staircase and large chimneys. Upstairs, the master beams of the ceilings are decorated with torsades and geometrical motifs, testimony to the craftsmanship of the period. The fief, mentioned in the middle of the 14th century, was officially listed as historical monuments in 2006, protecting the manor house, its annexed oven and their plated grounds in their entirety.

The Mansion of the Maldemeure reflects the local history of Anjou, where landlords and landowners marked their power by residences combining defensive, agricultural and residential functions. These buildings served as administrative centres for fiefs, while sheltering domestic and artisanal activities. Their preservation today offers a concrete overview of rural and seigneurial life between the late Middle Ages and the classical era.

Registration for historic monuments in 2006 underscores the heritage value of the site, both for its architecture and its role in regional history. The protected elements include not only the house body but also outbuildings like the oven, revealing the importance of daily activities (blangery, kitchen) in the organization of the estate. The location in Champigné, now integrated with Hauts-d'Anjou, places this mansion in a territory marked by a rich medieval and reborn past.

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