Immeuble dit Maison Chastenet
MonumentHidden Treasure
Immeuble dit Maison Chastenet, located in Issac (Dordogne), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Issac, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 45.0150, 0.4489
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082579
Completed in 1707 for a family of ironmasters, the Maison Chastenet has kept its seven stone fireplaces and spiral staircase intact - a jewel of pre-industrial Périgord, preserved in its original state.
History
Nestling in the village of Issac, in the heart of the Périgord Vert region, Maison Chastenet is one of those bourgeois residences from the turn of the 18th century that have stood the test of time. Built for a family of ironmasters, it is the perfect embodiment of the upward social mobility of an industrious and proud elite, who translated their success into limestone and carved wood. What makes this house truly unique is its exceptional state of preservation. Since its delivery in 1707, no major alterations have been made to the coherence of the whole. The seven stone fireplaces dotting the interior rooms are living testimony to the region's decorative skills at the dawn of the Age of Enlightenment. The winding wooden staircase, with its masterful scrolls, is in itself a lesson in traditional cabinet-making. On the façade, the carved Chastenet coat of arms is a discreet reminder that this residence is above all a family manifesto, a statement of identity carved in stone. A curious detail is that some of the stones left over are evidence of a more ambitious project - two pavilions were intended to frame the main building, but only one of them was actually built. The incompleteness itself is part of the story. On the outskirts of the house, the outbuildings and the dovecote complete the picture of a prosperous rural estate, where in the past there were valets, clerks and blacksmiths working for a forge that no longer exists. A visit to these outbuildings is an invitation to imagine the hustle and bustle of a Périgord metalworking operation at its peak. For lovers of authentic heritage away from the crowds, the Maison Chastenet offers a rare experience: that of a place where time seems to have stood still, in a gentle, wooded countryside that itself has hardly changed in three centuries.
Architecture
Maison Chastenet is in the tradition of the Périgord manor house of the early 18th century, combining sobriety on the outside with refinement on the inside. The main body, built of local limestone, adopts a massive rectangular plan typical of regional middle-class homes, with a facade punctuated by regular bays of segmental or straight arches. The most striking feature of this facade is the sculpted Chastenet coat of arms, a piece of decorative bravura that contrasts with the general restraint of the composition. The remaining standing stones bear witness to an initial intention to extend the building by adding a second, flanking pavilion, a project that would have given the whole a more resolutely classical appearance. The interior is unexpectedly rich. The seven stone fireplaces in the main rooms bear witness to the care taken with domestic comfort and interior decoration, with mantels probably adorned with classical mouldings - frieze of oves, Corinthian pilasters or consoles - in keeping with the decorative customs of the time. The winding wooden staircase, the centrepiece of the interior layout, illustrates the mastery of Périgord carpenters and joiners of the period, who were able to design elegant spiral staircases in solid oak. The outbuildings - outbuildings and dovecote - complete the estate's architectural programme. The dovecote, an element of prestige par excellence in Ancien Régime France (its erection being a noble privilege), underlines the social aspirations of the Chastenet family. The ensemble forms a coherent whole, representative of the organisation of a Périgord proto-industrial estate at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Related Figures
Famille Chastenet — maîtres de forges périgourdins, commanditaires et premiers occupants de la demeure, achevée en 1707Maîtres de forges de la vallée de la Crempse — élite industrieuse dont les Chastenet étaient représentatifs, exploitant le minerai de fer du PérigordArtisans et bâtisseurs locaux anonymes — charpentiers et tailleurs de pierre périgourdins à qui l'on doit l'escalier tournant et les cheminées sculptées
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Immeuble dit Maison Chastenet located?
Immeuble dit Maison Chastenet is located in Issac, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Immeuble dit Maison Chastenet built?
Immeuble dit Maison Chastenet dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Immeuble dit Maison Chastenet open to visitors?
Immeuble dit Maison Chastenet is currently closed to visitors.