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Origin and history

The Château de Montpensier, located in the commune of Vézières (Vienne), is a medieval building rebuilt in 1483 by Louis de Bourbon, Count of Roussillon and Grand Admiral of France. The architecture combines a main body flanked by two towers: one houses a screw staircase, the other a semicircular tower evoking a dungeon. This castle, visible from a distance in the countryside, embodies the feudal heritage of the region.

Originally, the estate belonged to the Monpanier family from 1292, before moving to the Bourbons in the 15th century. In 1649 he was held by Loys, bastard of Bourbon, son of Charles de Bourbon and Jeanne de Bornand. The history of the castle took a dramatic turn in 1948 with a criminal arson attributed to Marie Besnard, leaving the places in ruins for decades. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1949, it was bought and partially restored from the 1980s by private owners.

After decades of abandonment (bursts, lack of roofs, destroyed chimneys), the castle was saved by Robert Mitrani in 1980, who cleaned it before its resale to Jacques Manseau in 1981. The latter undertook a complete renovation, giving life to this witness of the Bourbon and Poitevin history. Today, there remains an emblematic example of the castles transformed in the Renaissance, combining defence and architectural prestige.

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