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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Villars-Marange Castle, also known as Villars Castle, is located in the hamlet of Villars, on the commune of Mérignac, in Charente (New Aquitaine). This monument, registered since March 7, 2007, consists of a 15th century entrance castle and a 17th century residence, reflecting two distinct architectural epochs. Its location, close to the old Postway linking Paris to Bordeaux, highlights its historical importance in regional exchanges.

The fief of Villars-Marange, mentioned from the 16th century, originally belonged to the family of Villars, vassal of the Counts of Angoulême. In 1520, Marguerite Portier, heir of the estate, sold it to Jean de Fontenay, king's adviser. The castle then passed into the hands of several noble families, including the Dussaults (XVIth-17th centuries) and the Charlonneries (from 1666 onwards), which kept it for two centuries. These changes of property illustrate the seigneurial dynamics of the Charente.

The architecture of the castle blends defensive elements (breek, pregnant) and residential elements (stairs, chapel transformed into commons). The facades, decorated with pinnacles and carved niches, bear witness to local stylistic influences, comparable to other Charente castles such as Bouteville or Fleurac. In the 19th century, reshuffles added ornamental parapets, while the chapel, very modified, lost its religious function.

Over the centuries, the estate changed its vocation: sold in 1875 to Amédée Duclou, trading in brandies, he remained in his family until 1959, before moving to the current owners of Brou de Laurie. Its inscription in historical monuments in 2007 protects its oldest elements, including the chestnut, the main house and the vaulted communes, thus preserving an emblematic Charentais heritage.

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