The castle of Challain-la-Potherie, located in the French commune of Challain-la-Potherie in Maine-et-Loire, was built from 1847 to 1854. Its architect, René Hodé, designed many other castles of the same style in Anjou, but Challain remains the most imposing. Its size and allure earned it the nickname of "Petit Chambord" or "Chambord Angevin". The current construction replaces an older castle, whose origin dates back to the Middle Ages. Former seat of the seigneury of Challain, it has passed into the hands of many families during its history. According to sales and inheritances, it was the successive property of the Châteaubriant family and the Chambes family before falling to members of the Nicolas Fouquet family, then to the La Potherie family, who left his name to the castle and the village. The castle, built in the 19th century, was ordered by Louise Ida La Potherie, last name, and her husband Count de La Rochefoucauld-Bayers. The choice of the neo-Gothic style is for them a means of enhancing the family glory after the French Revolution. It is also a choice motivated by the tastes of the time, the neo-Gothic being then in vogue among the Angevin aristocracy. René Hodé more precisely adopts the troubadour style, which comes to place a neo-medieval decor on a functional structure. The internal structure of the castle and its general provisions indeed follow the neoclassical architectural rules developed in the 18th century.
despite the grandeur it seems to have things out of proportion. Towers too big, main entrance under stated, to many windows. Love the simple landscape though. Maybe a big fucking moat just to spice it up.
rockystl says
The castle of Challain-la-Potherie, located in the French commune of Challain-la-Potherie in Maine-et-Loire, was built from 1847 to 1854. Its architect, René Hodé, designed many other castles of the same style in Anjou, but Challain remains the most imposing. Its size and allure earned it the nickname of "Petit Chambord" or "Chambord Angevin". The current construction replaces an older castle, whose origin dates back to the Middle Ages. Former seat of the seigneury of Challain, it has passed into the hands of many families during its history. According to sales and inheritances, it was the successive property of the Châteaubriant family and the Chambes family before falling to members of the Nicolas Fouquet family, then to the La Potherie family, who left his name to the castle and the village. The castle, built in the 19th century, was ordered by Louise Ida La Potherie, last name, and her husband Count de La Rochefoucauld-Bayers. The choice of the neo-Gothic style is for them a means of enhancing the family glory after the French Revolution. It is also a choice motivated by the tastes of the time, the neo-Gothic being then in vogue among the Angevin aristocracy. René Hodé more precisely adopts the troubadour style, which comes to place a neo-medieval decor on a functional structure. The internal structure of the castle and its general provisions indeed follow the neoclassical architectural rules developed in the 18th century.
wisi_eu says
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Challain-la-Potherie
BCECVE says
despite the grandeur it seems to have things out of proportion. Towers too big, main entrance under stated, to many windows. Love the simple landscape though. Maybe a big fucking moat just to spice it up.