Château du Plessis-Macé is a Hidden Gem of the Anjou
Château du Plessis-Macé definitely presented itself as a medieval fortress as we approached it from the car-park. Watching the black goats navigate the steep hillside gave us the feeling that we had stepped back in time!
Look closely just below the door to find the black goat.
Zooming in for a closer look, the goat has moved a bit to the left of the door in this next photo while another goat watches from the door itself.
This type of castle/château is called a motte castrale or feudal motte. In the Middle Ages this type of château was built on a mound of earth, surrounded by ditch. In the case of Plessis-Macé, the ditch is a moat filled with water.
Here was our first glimpse inside the Château walls ! Directly in front of us was the donjon, or innermost feudal keep/tower.
The fortress part of the Château is off to the left where you see the donjon in this panoramic view.
The lack of crowds of tourists delighted us! I think possibly two other families wandered through while we were there.
We had a lovely time exploring in and around the Château du Plessis- Macé with our friends. After being invited to their house for Sunday lunch, which, in typical French fashion was a slow leisurely affair, they treated us to a visit to the Château. We thoroughly enjoyed wandering the grounds in and around the Château but our hosts were disappointed to find that we could not explore inside. I look forward to a return visit to see the interior!
The Château du Plessis-Macé is open on a limited schedule so I recommend verifying the opening times on their site before you go if you want to visit the interior.
Chemin de Ronde
This is a covered galerie that allowed the guards of the Château to survey the surroundings and defend against attacks. As mere onlookers, we didn’t have to worry about attacks from enemies! We just meandered around and enjoyed the spectacular views such as this view back towards the village and its church.
The St-Michel Chapel
Chapel Door
I was glad we were able to go inside the 15th century chapel. The oak tribune (gallery) allowed everyone, no matter to their station in life, to attend mass back in the day. Tribune has several varying definitions but the medieval definition would be equivalent to a gallerie.
A Bit of History of the Château du Plessis-Macé
The Château du Plessis-Macé dates from the 11th century. It was built to protect Angers from the Bretons and was only a wooden structure during this time period. Later, at the beginning of the 12th century, it would be rebuilt in stone. T
he Château suffered partial destruction during the Hundred Years War. Louis de Beaumont who was councilor to the Kings of France (Charles VII and Louis XI) completed the reconstruction in the 15th century. After de Beaumont, there was a long list of owners with the EPCC Anjou Theatre taking possession in 2010.
There was a large lavender patch that filled the air with fragrance every time the wind wafted through.
Lavender beds adjacent to the chapel
Walking the perimeter of the Château
Possibly my favorite part of the visit was the walk that took us around the perimeter of the Château along the moat. We met other walkers in the field who were there with their dogs and I envied their proximity to the Château as village inhabitants.
The bridge above, crosses over the moat and leads to areas of the Château that are part of the guided tour. We climbed to the top of the round turret on the far left. From here we had views of the village and its church (see Chemin du Ronde above) as well as views back into the center of the Château compound.
Such an idyllic setting!
Getting There
If you are visiting Angers, or on your way to Angers, the Château of Plessis-Macé is worth the visit in my opinion!
CAR: The quickest route, just 9.3 miles, to the Château is by car…..provided you have a car! You will arrive via the D105.
BUS: Take the Line 34 bus from Place Monprofit in Angers to the stop Mairie du Plessis-Macé. The journey is approximately 25 minutes and then you arrive about 1000 feet from the Château entry. More options and details here
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