Manoir seigneurial de Maré
ManorHidden Treasure
Manoir seigneurial de Maré, located in Pontlevoy (Loir-et-Cher), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Manor
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Pontlevoy, Loir-et-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.4150, 1.2051
- Mérimée Reference
- PA41000029
Nestling in the Sologne region of Touraine, the crenellated towers of the Maré manor house rise above moats, revealing a Gothic chapel with rib vaults adorned with 16th-century wall paintings of rare integrity.
© Wikimedia Commons / Wikipedia
History
In the heart of the Loire Valley, just a few leagues from Pontlevoy Abbey, the manor house of Maré is one of those discreet jewels that Touraine knows so well how to hide in its countryside. Built between 1456 and 1507, at the crossroads of the late Gothic and the first bold steps of the Renaissance, it elegantly embodies the seigniorial residence of the late Middle Ages: functional, defensive, but already concerned with a certain domestic refinement. Listed as a Historic Monument in 2003, it bears witness to remarkable architectural continuity over more than five centuries. What sets the Maré manor house apart above all is its relationship with water. Entirely surrounded by ditches fed by running water, the complex forms an island accessible by two bridges, some sections of which are still used as fishponds - a reminder of a self-sufficient seigneurial economy where fish farming was as precious as crops. The reflection of the dwelling in the moat lends the site an atmosphere of unreal calm, almost timeless. The visitor experience is that of an inhabited dwelling, far removed from museum reconstructions. Inside the dwelling, two original monumental fireplaces frame spaces that were remodelled at the turn of the 20th century, while the two-storey cushions are a reminder of the lifestyle of the rural nobility in the late Middle Ages. These seats set into the thickness of the walls, catching the oblique light from the mullioned windows, are one of the most touching details of the place. The independent chapel is undoubtedly the most precious part of the estate. Its two rib-vaulted bays with moulded ribs, supported by sculpted bases and engaged columns in the apse, form an extremely coherent late Gothic ensemble. The remains of wall paintings dating from the 1500s on the walls provide exceptional evidence of the polychromy of religious interiors of the period. The rural setting, the farm outbuildings converted to housing at the beginning of the 20th century, the silent barns: everything here exudes the slow life of a rural estate that has weathered the centuries with great discretion, escaping the great destruction of the Revolution as well as overzealous restoration work.
Architecture
The manor house at Maré has a layout that is typical of late medieval manor houses in the Loire Valley: a main dwelling with an independent chapel, a lower building used as stables and granary, and barns forming the agricultural wing. The whole complex is surrounded by moats, accessible via two bridges, giving the site its characteristic island silhouette. The materials used are those of the regional tradition: white tufa stone from the quarries of the Loire Valley for the decorative parts, combined with local limestone rubble for the infill masonry. The roof is steeply pitched, as is customary in this region with its rainy climate, and is probably covered in Anjou slate. The chapel is the most accomplished piece of architecture on the estate. Comprising two bays, it is rib-vaulted with moulded ribs resting in the nave on sculpted bases - a common motif in the region at the time - and in the apse on columns set into the masonry. This sober, elegant structural arrangement is typical of the late flamboyant Gothic style practised in the workshops of the Loire Valley between 1480 and 1520. The remains of wall paintings on the walls bear witness to an original decoration in shades of red and ochre, probably depicting hagiographic scenes. Inside the dwelling, two original monumental fireplaces dominate the main rooms. Carved from the tufa stone, they feature the accolade motifs and prismatic mouldings characteristic of late 15th-century Gothic architecture. The cushioned windows set into the walls on two levels, framed by stone mullions, are an invaluable reminder of the ways in which the rural nobility of the Middle Ages used to make themselves comfortable.
Related Figures
Seigneurs de Maré (fin XVe siècle) — commanditaires de la construction initiale du manoir entre 1456 et 1507Artisans et tailleurs de pierre tourangeaux (vers 1480-1507) — maîtres d'œuvre anonymes de la chapelle gothique flamboyantePeintres itinérants du val de Loire (vers 1500-1510) — auteurs des peintures murales de la chapellePropriétaires du début du XXe siècle — commanditaires du remaniement intérieur du logis vers 1900-1910Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles du Centre-Val de Loire — acteur de l'inscription MH en 2003
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Manoir seigneurial de Maré located?
Manoir seigneurial de Maré is located in Pontlevoy, Loir-et-Cher department, Centre-Val de Loire region, France.
When was Manoir seigneurial de Maré built?
Manoir seigneurial de Maré dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Manoir seigneurial de Maré open to visitors?
Manoir seigneurial de Maré is currently closed to visitors.