The history of the Château des Forges

The Château des Forges, 10 minutes from Angers city centre – the city ‘where life is good’ – is ideally situated within a 6-hectare park and enjoys exceptional panoramic views over the valleys of Saint-Aubin (the lower valleys of Anjou and the Mayenne).

Built in 1862 in a style blending elements reminiscent of the Louis XII style, it combines brick, schist, tuffeau and stone – materials emblematic of the Loire Valley. Its brick-and-stone ‘chalet’-style appearance is reminiscent of seaside architecture, drawing inspiration from English manor houses with its bay windows, gables and spacious wooden balconies.

The Château des Forges is a typical example of this Second Empire-era holiday home architecture in the Anjou region, which flourished thanks to the arrival of the railway in 1849 and the economic boom. Many holiday homes thus sprang up along the Loire, often used by the Angevin bourgeoisie as second homes.

Some of these magnificent buildings were known as ‘châteaux’, notably the Château des Forges, the Château de la Grande-Flècherie and the Château du Verger. This status was justified by the presence of extensive parks, gardens with water features, outbuildings and adjoining farmlands. The château’s outbuildings and stables date from 1870. A gatehouse was built in 1904 for Alphonse Topart, a doctor. The château stands on a historic site known as “Les Forges”, which once belonged to the Benedictine nuns of Calvaire. A farm still stands below the château, bearing the same name.

The château’s stained-glass windows were created by Jean Clamens, born in 1850 in Toulouse. He settled in Angers in 1878 and worked as a glassmaker for the Truffier firm. Two years later, following Louis Truffier’s retirement, Clamens went into partnership with Bordereau (Jr) and Megnen. Their workshops were situated at 1 Boulevard du Roi René in Angers (formerly the tourist office).

In the 1880s, he produced a series of stained-glass windows depicting the Vendée uprising. The Le Champ des Martyrs chapel in Avrillé features stained-glass windows created by Jean Clamens in 1895. That same year, the partnership came to an end and Clamens continued his work, assisted by René-Victor Livache and his son Victor, who provided him with the designs for his stained-glass windows.

The château was originally a second home built by Germain Bouyonnet-Belize, an industrialist and yarn manufacturer from Angers, who was related to the prominent Oriolle family. Germain Bouyonnet-Belize ran a spinning mill (a factory where yarn is produced) on the site of a former sugar refinery.

After the Bouyonnet-Oriolle family, the Château des Forges became the property of Alphonse Topart, a doctor from Angers living at 30 Boulevard du Château, around 1906. The property then passed, around 1922, to Georges-Émile Massart, who immediately sold it on; Henri Van Groenendaël subsequently became the new owner.

Below is a stained-glass window located in the hotel’s current kitchen:

The Château’s motto, “FACTE RECTE NEMINEM TIME”, meaning “Do what is right and fear no one”

In the photo below, the young woman standing on the far right became the first female doctor in Maine-et-Loire.

Around 1937, the château was purchased by a solicitor, Victor Chaumont, a resident of Périers (in Normandy), who moved there later in life, during his retirement. The Chaumont family remained there until 1980.

The Château des Forges was subsequently completely renovated by the enthusiast and former antique dealer Philippe Dufresne. He sought to restore the former splendour of this property, which had previously been a large family home, and transformed it into a guest house.

Purchased in 2019 by partners from Angers, the Château des Forges – now converted into a hotel following a period of renovation work – opened its doors in July 2020.