Château de la Motte
CastleHidden Treasure
Château de la Motte, located in Chaumont-sur-Tharonne (41), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Castle
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Chaumont-sur-Tharonne, 41, Centre-Val de Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.6139, 1.8947
- Mérimée Reference
- PA41000023
Château de la Motte or Château de La Motte is a place name used in France by: Château de la Motte, Accons (Ardèche) ; Château de la Motte, Arthel (Nièvre); Château de la Motte, Ayse (Haute-Savoie); Château de la Motte, Bardigues (Tarn-et-Garonne); Château de la Motte
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History
Château de la Motte or Château de La Motte is a place name used in France by: Château de la Motte, Accons (Ardèche) ; Château de la Motte, Arthel (Nièvre); Château de la Motte, Ayse (Haute-Savoie); Château de la Motte, Bardigues (Tarn-et-Garonne); Château de la Motte, Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse (Calvados); Château de la Motte, Cesny-les-Sources (Calvados); Château de la Motte, Chalandray (Vienne); Château de la Motte, Château-Renard (Loiret); Château de la Motte, Chaumont-sur-Tharonne (Loir-et-Cher); Château de la Motte, Épervans (Saône-et-Loire); Château de la Motte, Joué-du-Plain (Orne); Château de la Motte, Lorrez-le-Bocage-Préaux (Seine-et-Marne); Château de La Motte, Louchy-Montfand (Allier); Château de la Motte, Lyon (Rhône); Château de la Motte, Madré (Mayenne); Château de la Motte, Moirans (Isère); Château de la Motte, Montfort-sur-Risle (Eure); Château de la Motte, La Motte-Fouquet (Orne); Château de la Motte, Ploërmel (Morbihan); Château de la Motte, Quetigny (Côte-d'Or); Château de la Motte, Saint-Brice-en-Coglès (Ille-et-Vilaine); Château de la Motte Saint-Sulpice (Nièvre); Château de la Motte, Usseau (Vienne); Château de la Motte, Vémars; Château de la Motte (d), Vitry-aux-Loges (Loiret);
Architecture
Château de La Motte is built on an artificial platform with a ditch - the eponymous motte - a defensive device inherited from the High Middle Ages, whose preservation in Sologne can be explained by the nature of the terrain: the high water table ensured that the moat was always filled, naturally reinforcing the site's protection. The fact that the site is built on a raised platform gives it a recognisable silhouette, slightly dominating the surrounding lowlands. The manor house itself, rebuilt in the 18th century on the 14th-15th century medieval foundations, has the sober, robust character typical of Sologne architecture: elongated main building, steeply pitched roof traditionally made of flat tiles or slate, and stonework of local sandstone rubble bonded with lime. The regularly spaced openings on the façades reflect the classical layout of the 18th century, bringing light and symmetry to a previously more austere building. Some residual elements from medieval constructions - basements, fragments of thicker walls, traces of blocked-up bays - can still be seen in the masonry and are a reminder of earlier phases of construction. The outbuildings, organically linked to the main building, complete the picture of a coherent seigneurial estate: outbuildings, stables, barns and service quarters are arranged around a farmyard in a functional and spatial manner that is typical of Sologne farms. The landscape of the estate - ditches, avenues, groves and ponds - is itself an architectural feature in its own right, and can be seen from the air to reveal all the historical complexity accumulated over seven centuries.
Related Figures
Famille Gaullier — propriétaires des XVIIIe-XIXe siècles, commanditaires de la reconstruction et dynasty de maires de Chaumont-sur-TharonneSeigneurs médiévaux anonymes — premiers bâtisseurs du manoir aux XIVe-XVe sièclesMaires Gaullier — représentants successifs de la famille à la tête de la commune de Chaumont-sur-Tharonne au XIXe siècle
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Château de la Motte located?
Château de la Motte is located in Chaumont-sur-Tharonne, 41 department, Centre-Val de Loire region, France.
When was Château de la Motte built?
Château de la Motte dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Château de la Motte open to visitors?
Château de la Motte is currently closed to visitors.