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Origin and history

The Château de la Prousterie, also known as Proûterie, is a building located on the town of Avevezé, in the Sarthe department, in the Pays de la Loire region. Built high on a hill, it overlooks the Huisne Valley and is part of an estate with wood and farmland. Originally, this site formed a chestnutlia dependent on the historical province of Perche, reflecting its local importance from the 16th century.

The first constructions date back to the end of the 15th century for home and commons, while the rectangular tower was added at the end of the 16th century by the Crochet family. René from Crochet then obtained permission to erect a chapel there, marking the religious and seigneurial anchor of the estate. The castle then changed hands several times, passing in particular to the families of Dangennes, then to Jacques-Guillaume Gayot, knight and dean of the Cour des Aides de Paris.

In the 18th century, the estate was acquired by Pierre-Charles Gondouin, adviser to the Parisian king and notary, who undertook important work between 1780 and 1826. He built the right part of the house and harmonized the façade, thus modernising the whole. The current entry grid dates from 1802. His son, Charles-Constantin Gondouin, inherited it before the castle passed to the Goüin family, notably banker Henri-Charles Goüin and his descendants.

The modifications continued in the 19th century with the construction of orangery after 1826 and the reorganization of the approaches according to the tastes of the era. The castle thus illustrates a continuous architectural evolution, mixing medieval heritage and adaptations to successive modes, while remaining a symbol of local power throughout the centuries.

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