Architecture

Château de la Gaudinière

Nantes

Château de la Gaudinière is a château located in Nantes, in the Breil-Barberie district of France. Before the French Revolution, the property belonged to a wealthy Nantes shipowner connected with the Beauharnais and Tascher de la Pagerie families. It later passed through several owners, including the d’Aux, Perrien, and Goüin families, before being acquired by banker J. Brousset in 1857.

The estate once included a residence with an honor courtyard, a chapel, an English garden with orangery, an orchard with a pond, and a wood. Its grounds also featured plants from America, including magnolia and bald cypress, and a giant sequoia was introduced near the château in 1864. The current château was built between 1864 and 1873 by architect Léon Lenoir, using red bricks contrasted with the white tuffeau commonly used in Nantes buildings. The park was later expanded, restored, and eventually transferred to the city of Nantes. At the beginning of the 21st century, the château remained unoccupied.

Map showing the location of Château de la Gaudinière in Nantes
Location of Château de la Gaudinière in Nantes

Nearby Objects

Location in Nantes

The Chateau de la Gaudiniere is located in Nantes, France, in the Breil-Barberie district. The provided information identifies it as a chateau and places it within this specific urban area of the city. No further details about its architecture, history, or use are given in the available facts.

Ownership History

Before the French Revolution, the Chateau de la Gaudiniere belonged to Histoire, a wealthy Nantes shipowner who was connected with the Beauharnais and Tascher de la Pagerie families. The property later passed to the d'Aux family and then to the Perrien family in 1814. During the Restoration period, it was acquired by the Goüin family. This sequence of ownership reflects the changing hands of the estate across the revolutionary and post-revolutionary periods.

From Estate Park to Restored Chateau

The property associated with the Chateau de la Gaudiniere originally included a residence with an honor courtyard, a chapel, an English garden with an orangery, an orchard with a pond, and a wood. Its park also featured plants from America, including magnolia and bald cypress, and a giant sequoia from North America was introduced near the chateau in 1864. After the property was transferred to banker J. Brousset in 1857, the park was expanded under the guidance of landscape architect Provost.

The current chateau was commissioned by Histoire and built between 1864 and 1873 by architect Leon Lenoir. It was constructed with red bricks, which contrasted with the white tuffeau commonly used in Nantes buildings. By 1881, the park had reached a larger extent, reflecting the continued development of the estate.

Ownership changed several times in the 20th century. The estate was acquired by the Belot banking family in 1918, the park was sold to the city of Nantes in 1936, and the chateau and its surroundings were sold to the Fondation d'Auteuil in 1942. In 1948, the Regional Health Insurance Fund (CRAM) acquired the site for a functional rehabilitation center and added new buildings over time. Because of its wooded location, the center could not expand further. The City of Nantes repurchased the property in 1992, and the CRAM buildings were demolished to restore the chateau's original exterior. At the beginning of the 21st century, the chateau remained unoccupied.