Château de Percher
CastleHidden Treasure
Château de Percher, located in Saint-Martin-du-Bois (Maine-et-Loire), 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
- Saint-Martin-du-Bois, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.7118, -0.7047
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00109280
Nestling in the Anjou bocage, Château de Percher boasts the elegance of the Loire Renaissance: sculpted dormer windows, corner turrets and finely-constructed main buildings bear witness to the noble lifestyle of the 16th century.
History
In the heart of Maine-et-Loire, in the peaceful commune of Saint-Martin-du-Bois, Château de Percher stands like one of those gentleman's manor houses that discreetly dot the landscape of the upper Anjou region. Far from the glittering fame of the great châteaux of the Loire, it has a sober, authentic grace that will appeal to discerning heritage lovers, those who are looking for a monument still untouched by the crowds, still inhabited by its original silence. Built in the 16th century in the style that spread throughout the Loire region at that time, Château de Percher is a perfect illustration of the spread of French Renaissance models outside the major royal centres. Its tufa stone facades - the luminous blonde stone so characteristic of the Loire Valley - display the sculpted details typical of the period: mullioned windows, moulded cornices and dormer windows whose pediments combine the flamboyant Gothic heritage with the newly rediscovered antique orders. The overall effect is one of controlled harmony, the result of an aristocratic commission keen to assert its rank without excessive ostentation. A visit to the Château de Percher offers a glimpse into the intimacy of a stately home in Anjou. Unlike royal palaces, this type of building gives an insight into the daily life of the small provincial nobility: the layout of the rooms, the fireplaces with their sculpted hoods, the vaulted cellars and the adjoining outbuildings create a coherent, lively picture. The estate also retains its natural setting, with moats, formal gardens and kitchen gardens dating back to centuries gone by, framing the monument in an unspoilt setting. For the photographer, the low-angled morning light reveals the grain of the tufa and the relief of the sculptures with particular brilliance. For history buffs, the three campaigns to have the building listed as a Historic Monument - in 1922, 1965 and 1968 - bear witness to the richness and diversity of the protected features, inviting a careful and progressive architectural interpretation of the site.
Architecture
Château de Percher is a typical Anjou Renaissance manor house, a type of architecture that combines influences from the great royal building sites along the Loire with local building traditions. The building is constructed from tuffeau, the white to beige limestone characteristic of the Loire basin, which is light, easy to carve and remarkably well-suited to sculpted decoration. This material gives the whole structure the golden luminosity that can be found from Saumur to Angers, via the Layon river. The two-storey main building, built over a basement, is punctuated by bays of cross-mullioned windows whose moulded frames bear witness to the care taken in the composition of the facades. The steeply pitched roofs, covered with Anjou slate in accordance with regional custom, feature dormer windows with triangular or curved pediments decorated with shell, palmette or scroll motifs, the most expressive element of the Renaissance decorative style. Round or polygonal corner turrets articulate the volumes and provide a transition between the different wings, completing the characteristic silhouette of these gentleman's residences. Inside, the large fireplaces with sculpted mantels are the centrepieces of the décor: pilasters with capitals, friezes of foliage and cartouches bearing the coat of arms of the founding family punctuate these monumental fireplaces that structure the space of the reception rooms. Exposed joist ceilings, spiral staircases (either spiral or straight) and glazed terracotta tiled floors complete an interior in which every detail expresses the aristocratic ideal of comfort and elegance typical of the French provincial Renaissance.
Related Figures
Famille seigneuriale fondatrice (XVIe siècle) — commanditaire présumé du château dans sa forme Renaissance actuelleMaître maçon angevin anonyme (XVIe siècle) — artisan vraisemblablement formé sur les chantiers royaux du val de LoirePropriétaire bourgeois du XIXe siècle — responsable des premières campagnes de restauration romantiqueInspecteur des Monuments Historiques (1922) — acteur du premier classement officiel reconnaissant la valeur patrimoniale du siteInspecteur des Monuments Historiques (1965-1968) — auteur des classements complémentaires élargissant la protection à l'ensemble du domaine
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Château de Percher located?
Château de Percher is located in Saint-Martin-du-Bois, Maine-et-Loire department, Pays de la Loire region, France.
When was Château de Percher built?
Château de Percher dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Château de Percher open to visitors?
Château de Percher is currently closed to visitors.