Listen to the Drum Beats of History

Château du Grand Val dates back to the late Middle Ages, and its first known owner is G. Du Val year 1429. The estate changed title-holder many times before it finally fell into the hands of count Jean Pinot du Petit-bois. The castle remained in this family well into the 1900's. Through the centuries Grand Val has experienced peace, prosperity, and development, but also a revolution and several horrible wars.

During the Second World War the Nazi occupants commandeered the castle. Because of its elevated location, the estate made an excellent place for air reconnaissance which unfortunately also meant that many of the old park trees were cut down to enhance visibility. Also, the original wooden floor of the chapel was used to make bunk-beds. German officers naturally moved into the castle after having evicted the rightful owners of Château du Grand Val.

History

Château du Grand Val, or Grand Val as it is called by the locals, is a manor-house without jurisdiction. The Château belonged to the du Val family up until the mid-1500s, but after that point it changed owners several times. In 1714 it belonged to Antoine Morin sieur du Planty. In 1760 it was owned by Catherine Morin, wife of Francois Marc de la Chesnardiére who was a lawyer at the Palace of Justice and eventually became chancellor of Justice and commission agent. In 1768, Monsieur Chesnardiére purchased Grand Val's neighboring property Vauluisant. Chesnardiére's daughter later transferred these estates to her husband Jean Pinot du Petit-bois. Due to this grant, vassal Jean Pinot du Petit-bois annunciated his submissiveness to his feudal landlord in 1775. At the end of the 18 th century, Château du Grand Val was also placed in Pinot du Petit-bois' ownership and remained so until the beginning of the 20th century.

Grand Val's location is fantastic. The property seals the southern end of a sheltered valley and overlooks the Combourg area in the north. The Château consists of two separate buildings: one from the 18 th and one from the 19th century. The oldest, facing south, can most likely be ascribed the first Pinot du Petit-bois, or perhaps his father-in-law François Marc de la Chesnardière. This old 18th century building discerns a rather austere architectural design with seven extended spans separated by beautiful pillars holding up the arched ceiling. Remains of an even older house foundation can be seen within the first four ceiling spans.

The impressive open fireside and solid ashlar foundation from the late 1400's are also indicating that the original manor house had a large hall-like room. Even some of the original interior wall panels of the manor remain, as do paintings by the Pinot du Petit-bois family which decorate the mirrors over the fireside.

Another adjacent structure facing north was added in the early 1800's by Charles Agaton Pinot du Petit-bois and his wife to be, Sophie Patard de la Vieuville. Their family armor, still visible above the fireside, indicates that the two were married in 1855. This later building is actually made up of two pavilions which are linked together by a more narrow part of the building. Facing west, one notices a small tower, while the interior of the house is dominated by a magnificent ball-room and a vestibule with breathtaking views.

According to the book Guillotin de Corson, it was Antoine Morin who dedicated the chapel in the Château garden to Saint Antoine in 1714. Certain parts of the chapel date back to earlier times however, and it remains uncertain if the chapel was renovated along with the construction of the Château's northern wing in the early 1800's. In the eastern part of the park valley, larder houses and sheds crowned with dog heads above the door frames can be seen. This certainly implies that the buildings originally were used to house the castle's dogs. These smaller structures are architecturally different from the castle's 19 th century addition, but they are still believed to be from that same epoch.

Further behind the larder houses is the fenced-in kitchen garden, where the remains of a well-kept greenhouse still can be seen. And in the east, just by the edge of the forest, you will notice a small square pavilion with an ornamental tower. Surrounding the Château is a landscaped park which is perfectly designed to the go with the sheltered valley's contours, the old trees, and the steep slopes to the north behind which you will find the winding road leading up to the entrance of the new Château.

C. Amiot
L'Architecte des Bâtiments de France