Maison de maître de la Masselière
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison de maître de la Masselière, located in Cornillé-les-Caves (Maine-et-Loire), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Cornillé-les-Caves, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.4960, -0.2953
- Mérimée Reference
- PA49000065
Élégante demeure néo-classique des Pays de la Loire, la Maison de maître de la Masselière incarne l'ambition architecturale de la bourgeoisie angevine du début du XIXe siècle, avec son programme de cour et ses bâtiments de service.
History
Nestling in the bocage of the Haut-Anjou region, in Cornillé-les-Caves, the Maison de Maître de la Masselière is one of those discreet but precious witnesses to provincial neo-classical civil architecture. Listed as a Historic Monument in 2007, it represents an authentic page in the architectural history of Maine-et-Loire, a far cry from the sumptuous castles of the Loire region, but one that carries with it a very special dignity. What makes La Masselière so special is the ambition of its original design: a manor house combined with a vast complex of courtyards and service buildings, conceived as a coherent, well-ordered estate. Although this programme was only partially realised, the elements that were built bear witness to a desire for social representation that was characteristic of the rural gentry of the early 19th century, in line with the neo-classical ideals that were in vogue at the time. The visit offers an intimate insight into the world of bourgeois country houses during the Restoration. Without the monumentality of the châteaux of the Loire, La Masselière captivates visitors with its elegant sobriety, the rigour of its proportions and the quality of its architectural details. The ensemble reveals how provincial patrons appropriated the aesthetic canons of their time to assert their rank and taste. The landscaped setting of the Anjou bocage envelops the estate in a tranquil, unspoilt atmosphere. The gentle undulations of the land between Anjou and Maine, the grasslands and hedgerows characteristic of this region create a natural setting that reinforces the intimate and authentic character of the place. It's a heritage to be discovered slowly, for those who appreciate the discreet beauty of France's rural heritage.
Architecture
The Maison de Maître de la Masselière is fully in keeping with the provincial neo-classical style of the first quarter of the 19th century. The composition of the main facade is based on the principles of symmetry, balance and sober ornamentation typical of this style: regular bays, rigorous arrangement of openings, sober frames in tufa stone - the blonde stone characteristic of the Anjou region - which contrasts with the rendering of the masonry. The low-pitched roof, probably covered in slate in keeping with the architectural tradition of the Loire region, completes the austere but harmonious silhouette. The estate was organised around a main courtyard flanked by service buildings - stables, barns and farmers' accommodation - in a U- or L-shaped layout common in the region's noble and middle-class rural architecture. Although this plan was only partly realised, the existing elements are sufficient to recreate the spirit of the project and bear witness to the mastery of rural architectural typologies of the period. Inside, the layout logically follows the conventions of the Restoration bourgeois home: a series of reception rooms on the ground floor, bedrooms upstairs and cellars using the troglodytic subsoil so characteristic of Cornillé-les-Caves - a commune whose very name evokes the particular geology of dug tufa. This local substrate undoubtedly gives the house its remarkable constructional features, combining elevated architecture and underground spaces in a typically Anjou symbiosis.
Related Figures
Le commanditaire de 1821 — notable bourgeois ou propriétaire terrien angevin, initiateur du programme architectural ambitieux de la MasselièreL'architecte provincial inconnu — maître d'œuvre anonyme maîtrisant les canons néo-classiques et les traditions constructives du tuffeau angevinLes familles successives de propriétaires — gestionnaires du domaine agricole tout au long des XIXe et XXe sièclesLes inspecteurs des Monuments Historiques — responsables de l'évaluation patrimoniale ayant conduit à l'inscription de 2007
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison de maître de la Masselière located?
Maison de maître de la Masselière is located in Cornillé-les-Caves, Maine-et-Loire department, Pays de la Loire region, France.
When was Maison de maître de la Masselière built?
Maison de maître de la Masselière dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Maison de maître de la Masselière open to visitors?
Maison de maître de la Masselière is currently closed to visitors.
