Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Château des Moulières, located in Saint-Pompain in Les Deux-Sèvres (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), is a 17th-century building partially listed as a historical monument since 29 March 1971. Its architecture is distinguished by apparent stone facades, triangular pediment windows, and a terrace supported by foothills, typical of this period. Access is through a tree-lined aisle leading to a forecourt, crossed by a bridge over dried moats, before reaching the central courtyard framed by two corner pavilions.

The castle has long belonged to the Brach family, whose origin of the name could be linked to Alsace-Lorraine or to a girondine locality. Pierre de Brach (1547–1604), a lawyer, poet and friend of Montaigne and Ronsard, was anointed in 1571 and held legal office in Bordeaux. Although some members of this family have been suspected of involvement in triangular trade via nearby ports such as La Rochelle, these allegations remain presumptions of local historians. In the 19th century, Marc de Brach, the "legitimist" mayor of Saint Pompain, also marked the history of the place.

In the 20th century, the castle was acquired around 1970 by Louis and Marie-France Garaud, during which time a sale of real estate took place on site. Archives were transferred to the Departmental Archives of the Vendée, while other documents, initially stolen and found, were transferred to the Archives des Deux-Sèvres. The estate, surrounded by a wall of enclosure, includes commons and woods, and retains protected elements such as facades, roofs, terraces and moat.

The architecture of the castle illustrates the 17th century cannons: stone links in splits, framed bays, and symmetry of the corner massifs. The posterior façade, with a terrace and staircase, is supported by massive foothills. The entrance gate, connecting two pavilions, gives access to a central courtyard dominated by a main building body. These features are a remarkable example of the traditional regional heritage.

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