Château de la Bossivière

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The Château de la Bossivière, located in the commune of Bierné-les-Villages at Argenton-Notre-Dame, the Bossivière estate was once a noble land holding. It had a seigneurial residence. Built in tuffeau, the château did not survive the ravages of years and time. It stood near a farm in the commune of Argenton, at the spot where we find a small sanctuary built with stones from the former ruins. The château had an older part consisting of a wing flanked by a hexagonal tower at its base. Thanks to the corbelling of the corners, this tower was square at the upper storey. The windows were decorated with Renaissance sculptures. The main body of the residence dated from the 18th century; the trumeaux of its decorated fireplaces bore no coats of arms. Mme Françoise de Bonneau, widow of Thomas Rallier, sieur de la Tertinière and provincial provost of the maréchaussée of Château-Gontier, lived at la Bossivière around 1740. During the Terror, Mme Chotard gave shelter there to Pierre Maline, curé of Ménil. Louise-Olympe Rallier de la Tertinière married René-Emery Déan, seigneur de Luigné, on 24 January 1757. At that time, her family numbered 2 sons, René-Toussaint and Etienne-Thomas, and 3 daughters, Catherine-Madeleine, Françoise-Olympe and Louise-Aimée. Mme Déan and her 3 daughters therefore lived at la Boissivière during the Revolution; they gave shelter to non-juring priests from throughout the region. Betrayed by a man they had helped, the 4 women and the vicar of Contigné, who happened to be in their company that day, were arrested by the National Guard of Saint-Laurent-des-Mortiers on 22 November 1793. The Revolutionary Tribunal sentenced the vicar of Contigné to death on 5 January 1794. Mme Déan and her daughters were transferred to the prison of Château-Gontier and then to the Calvaire in Angers, where they were interrogated by Morin and Ruffin on 25 January 1794. The mother and her eldest daughter were shot at the Champ-des-Martyrs on 1 February. On 31 March, the same commissioners sentenced the sisters to the guillotine, but the dissolution of the commission saved them for good. They settled in the parish of la Trinité in Angers. Françoise-Olympe founded a charity school for young girls; Louise-Aimée married Mr de la Chapelle, Chevalier de Saint-Louis. A monument located on the edge of the road from Coudray to Argenton was erected in memory of Mme Déan de Luigné and of the château. Châteaux of France portal Mayenne portal