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Origin and history

The castle of Sourches, located in Saint-Symphorien near Le Mans (Sarthe, Pays de la Loire), is a neoclassical masterpiece built between 1763 and 1786. Commanded by Louis II of the Bouchet de Sourches, Grand Prévot de France, its construction was entrusted to the royal architect Gabriel de Lestrade, assisted by Jean-François Pradrel. The castle replaces a 15th century medieval building, demolished to give way to this ambitious new project, marked by a central dome and an honorary courtyard framed by dry moat.

The castle is intimately linked to the history of the French monarchy. After the death of Louis II in 1788, he passed to his daughter-in-law, the Marquise de Tourzel, the governess of the children of France under Louis XVI. Involved in the flight to Varennes (1791), she was imprisoned at the Temple Tower in 1792 with the royal family. In 1845, the estate was inherited from the family of Pérusse des Cars, which kept it until the 20th century, despite troubled periods such as its occupation by Louvre art collections during the Second World War.

During the Second World War (1940-1945), the castle cellars, requisitioned by the State, housed national treasures: paintings from the Louvre, furniture from Versailles, the tapestry of Bayeux, and private collections looted from Jewish families. This period illustrates its role as a refuge for French heritage. After 1945, the 6th Duke of the Cars, Louis Charles Marie, established in 1956 a research centre in animal nutrition for Sanders, partially transforming its use.

In the 1980s, the castle was acquired by a Japanese company, Nippon Sangyoo Kabushiki Kaisha, which left it abandoned and partially the remains. Rached in 2001 by Foucaud's family, it was restored with the help of local authorities and opened to the public. Since then, it has hosted cultural events (theatre, concerts) and a Conservatoire de la Pivoine, opened in 2015. Its park, designed under Louis XIV by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, and its classified interiors make it a major heritage site.

The architecture of the castle is distinguished by its unique portico body in France, designed by Gabriel de Lestrade, and its vaulted chapel inspired by the Abbey of the Couture au Mans. The facade on garden, sober and harmonious, is covered with a square dome, while the lateral wings are covered with buildings. Note that a neolithic menhir remains near the southern entrance, reflecting an ancient occupation of the site.

Protected in 1946 for its park and classified as a historical monument in 1947 for its facades, roofs and chapel, the castle of Sourches saw its interiors and stables registered in 2022. It was also used as a stage for films such as Francofonia (2015) by Alexandre Sokourov and Mademoiselle de Joncquières (2018) by Emmanuel Mouret, strengthening his cultural influence.

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