Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers

The Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers is located in the commune of Les Trois-Moutiers in the north of the Vienne department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

Built around the 13th century in the Loudunais area of Anjou, it was originally named La Mothe-Bauçay (or La Mothe-Baussay), after the family that owned it. Through inheritance, the estate passed in 1448 to a branch of the House of Rochechouart, who were also lords of Champdeniers. One of its members, François de Rochechouart, Marquis of Chandeniers, accused of having participated in the Fronde, settled there in exile. The lavish lifestyle he led there led to his personal bankruptcy. The estate was sold in 1668, but it was this period that gave the château its final name. From then on, it passed through the hands of many French families, both noble and bourgeois.

Embellished in the early 19th century, the château was completely rebuilt from the mid-1850s onward. The surrounding area was also landscaped so that the building is encircled by water, similar to the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau.

Severely damaged by a fire in 1932, the building gradually deteriorated and fell into ruin, despite restoration efforts by successive owners.

In December 2017, the château was bought by thousands of internet users, following a crowdfunding campaign initiated by Dartagnans and Adopte un Château, which extended well beyond the borders of France. It is now owned by the “SAS Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers,” a company that brings together the many owners. Their main goals are to stop the deterioration of the building and to develop the château, its outbuildings, and the 2.1-hectare estate.

Address
Route de Roiffé 4, Les Trois-Moutiers, France

Established
13th century