Château de Boistissandeau

En un regard

Le château en bref

Boistissandeau Castle is a château located in Les Herbiers, south of Ardelay in Vendée. It was built in 1578. Its façade is surmounted by a large pepper-pot tower of pink brick. It has been listed as a Monument historique since 23 January 1958. Formerly [Quand ?] owned by the Brothers of Saint-Gabriel, who had established a retirement home there, it was acquired by the Département of Vendée in June 2003. A large part of the château has been renovated, but much work remains to be done, particularly in the left wing. The scientist René-Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur made frequent stays there during the eighteenth century [réf. souhaitée], in the company of the owner, Jean-Baptiste-Laurent d'Hillerin (1704-1779), himself a major scientific figure. Boistissandeau Castle was also the setting for an episode of the Terror in Vendée. On 31 January 1794, five hussars came to murder, on the mounting block that is still visible, the lady of the château, Marie Agathe d'Hillerin (1714-1794), and her two daughters, Henriette (1738-1794) and Agathe (1741-1794). Marie-Agathe was dragged by the feet down the staircase in front of the château's entrance and hacked to death with sabres. Marie-Agathe's two daughters tried to escape: one was shot down near the château's main door, and the other was shot down opposite the door of La Chapelle. The latter still bears traces of bullets today.[réf.