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Origin and history

The Château de Saint-Martin-la-Pallu, also known as the former Château de Gilles de Rais, has its origins in the 13th century, with major transformations in the 16th century. A castellum was mentioned as early as 1080, and an ancient Gress Tower, now extinct, showed an early military occupation. The site was owned by notable historical figures, whose name remains associated with Gilles de Raitz, a companion of arms of Jeanne d'Arc and faithful of Charles VII. At his death, the estate returned to the crown of France, after having passed into the hands of Jeanne de Valois, the natural daughter of Charles VII and Agnes Sorel.

The castle, lined with moat, kept seven towers connected by thick walls. Two of them, close to the drawbridge and the tower in the treasury, served as housing. The other four had various functions: a mill, a runaway, a prison and the seigneurial archives. The tower of the Moulin, the tower of the Archives (now town hall), the tower of the Prison and the tower of the Fuie remain, as do the vaulted passage of the old entrance, protected by decree in 1984.

The building illustrates medieval defensive architecture, adapted to the residential and administrative needs of its lords. Its plan, with specialized towers and a moat system, reflects a typical organisation of the Poitou castles in the late Middle Ages. The present, albeit partial, vestiges offer an overview of the transformations between the 13th and 16th centuries, a period between feudality and Renaissance.

Today, the castle is partially preserved: the north tower housing, the tower of the Treasury, the tower of the Fuie, the tower of the Archives (seat of the town hall), the tower of the Prison, the tower of the Moulin and the west tower housing have been protected under the Historical Monuments since 1984. The site, located in Cheneché (Comune de Saint-Martin-la-Pallu), retains an approximate location, with a map accuracy deemed satisfactory (note 7/10).

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