Château de Clermont

The Château de Clermont (French: [ʃɑto d(ə) klɛʁmɔ̃]) is a 17th-century château located in the commune of Le Cellier, approximately 27 kilometres (17 mi) from Nantes, in western France. It was built between 1643 and 1649. The château was owned by the Maupassant family before later becoming the residence of renowned French actor Louis de Funès.

The appearance of the château has remained largely unchanged since its construction during the regency of Anne of Austria in the minority of Louis XIV. Its southern façade, which overlooks the Loire River, offers a panoramic view of the Pays des Mauges and the Pays de Retz. The northern side features a shaded avenue perpendicular to the Paris–Nantes road, framed by the château's original wings. The estate is surrounded by 3 hectares (7.4 acres) of parkland and a 17-hectare (42-acre) vineyard. Actor Louis de Funès had a rose garden planted on the grounds, though it no longer exists. The Château de Clermont exhibits three major characteristics of the Louis XIII style:

The use of pink brick and stone masonry, which softens the formal geometry of the structure; Distinctive slate roofs, varied in form and unique to several of the main buildings; A central section housing the main staircase, which dominates the overall composition of the château.

A grand avenue crosses two moats and leads visitors into the central courtyard, flanked by the château's symmetrical wings.

The two wings of the château originally housed the servants' quarters, including sleeping rooms, stables, and greenhouses, all strategically positioned to remain under the supervision of the master of the house. Where the wings connect to the main body of the building, the kitchens are located on the right and the chapel on the left, the latter still featuring its original retable above the altar. From the center of each wing, arched passages lead outward—on the right to the gardens and on the left to the farmyard. These two entrances provide both practical access and visual relief, breaking the otherwise rigid symmetry of the formal layout. A gallery runs along the first floor of the right-hand wing.

The wings of the Château de Clermont differ significantly from those of other châteaux built during the same period in the 17th century.

Text adapted from “Château de Clermont” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Château de Clermont ranks #1,330 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #102 of the 469 mapped in France. Founded 1643, it is older than 28% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 580 atlas entries founded in the 17th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 12,537 times in the last 60 days, more than 94% of the atlas. 3 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Angers, 61 km away. See how France compares in the castle statistics.

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Read the full history on Wikipedia ↗