Château-Gontier is a French delegated municipality, located in the Mayenne department in the Pays de la Loire region, populated by 11,687 inhabitants. The merger of Château-Gontier with Azé and Saint-Fort on January 1, 2019 leads to the creation of Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne.
Historical monuments
The town has fifteen historical
monuments, most of which are located in the protected area which
extends over 66 hectares:
The covered market, built in 1892,
partially registered by decree of September 25, 1997.
The Hôtel
du Tertre de Sancé, built in the 15th and 16th centuries and
refurbished at the beginning of the 18th century, listed by decree
of 3 February 1993.
The Hôtel de Lantivy, built in the 17th
century by the de Lantivy family from two houses dating from the
16th century. It was classified by decree of May 10, 1988.
A
building located 1 rue de la Harelle, listed by decree of March 7,
1952.
The Hôtel de Saint-Luc, built in the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries, listed by decree of June 26, 1989.
The Town
Hall café, whose interior decor was created from 1900 to 1904 by the
Lorraine ceramist Schuller and the painter Pierre-Louis Richard. It
was registered by decree of April 11, 1990.
The remains of the
13th century castle, inscribed by decree of April 5, 1930.
The
Lycée Victor-Hugo, built in 1731, partially registered by decree of
June 6, 1995.
The old Louvre hotel, dating from the 17th century,
listed by decree of December 23, 1987.
The manor of Montviant,
located in the former town of Bazouges, was built in the 18th and
19th centuries. It was registered by decree of June 24, 1975.
The
Ursuline Convent, built in the 17th century around a manor dating
from the 15th century. The convent itself as well as the manor of
the Touche were classified by decree of October 31, 1991. The ruined
chapel and annex buildings were registered by decree of December 9,
1992.
The Church of the Trinity, rue du Général Lemonnier (17th
century), church of the former Ursuline convent, classified by
decree of October 29, 1969.
The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste,
place Saint-Jean from the eleventh century, cruciform ending in
three apses; crypt under the choir, central bell tower from the 12th
century, restored in the 19th century. It was classified by decree
of February 20, 1941.
The chapel of Genêteil, rue du Général
Lemonnier, built in the 12th century, was classified by decree of
July 9, 198044. It is now a place where contemporary artists
temporarily exhibit (sculptures, engravings, paintings, etc.).
The Moulinet chapel, Chemin de Bozeil located in the former town of
Bazouges, was built in the sixteenth century. It was registered by
decree of April 27, 1976.
Other places and monuments
The
Museum of Art and Archeology, housed in a 17th century hotel, which
has ancient, medieval, contemporary collections.
The mineral
waters of the rock of “Versailles” were renowned from the fourteenth
century.
Walks, called Bout-du-Monde, from where you can discover
pleasant views.
Mur-relief (1966-1975), professional high school
Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, work of sculptor François Stahly. High relief
60 m long and 2.50 m high, executed in Florentine travertine.
Old
Bridge of Château-Gontier.
Saint-Rémi Church, Place Saint-Rémi,
built in the style of the thirteenth century, with a stone spire.
Saint-Julien Hospital, quai du Docteur Georges Lefévre, whose chapel
dates from the 17th century.
Olive Tree Monastery, rue Gaston
Martin, community of Augustinian sisters. This monastery of
hospitable sisters who came from Dieppe in the seventeenth century,
was at the service of the Saint-Julien hospital from 1674 to 1982.
The monastery is affiliated with the Augustines of Mercy of Jesus
congregation.
Saint-Martin Church, Place de l'Eglise in Bazouges.
Saint-Michel church, rue Trehut.
Saint-Joseph Chapel, rue Abel
Cahour.
Chapel, rue du 11 Novembre.
Missing monuments
Saint-Just collegiate church of Château-Gontier
Church of St.
John the Evangelist
From the 19th to the 21st century
During the winter of
1805-1806, there was a major influenza epidemic reported by
Chevallier.
In 1809, Château-Gontier absorbed the
municipalities of Bazouges, Saint-Rémy and Azé. The latter as well
as Bazouges regained their independence a few years later, while
Saint-Rémy was reassigned to Saint-Fort in 1813.
In 1815,
forty students from the college enlisted under the orders of Louis
d'Andigné. In 1832, the military commission chaired by Colonel
Achille Baraguey d'Hilliers pronounced the death penalty against the
leaders of the Legitimist uprising.
In January 1848, a riot
caused by the high price of grain was suppressed militarily.
A thermal spa created by Doctor Henri-Louis Bayard existed in the
19th century in Château-Gontier. The waters have been known at least
since the beginning of the seventeenth century. Bayard is seeking to
carry out a major spa project: to make Château-Gontier a spa town.
There are still vestiges of this project today: the seaside-type
houses on rue des Roses.
In January 1871, Eugène Delattre had
the black flag raised as soon as it was taken down. Henri de
Cathelineau has his headquarters in Château-Gontier during the
Franco-German War of 1870.
The 1906 inventory for the
Saint-Jean church was postponed from Monday February 5 to a later
date due to the categorical opposition of the parishioners, and
could not succeed at the second attempt The inventory was completed
on Wednesday after protests in both churches.
The communes of
Château-Gontier and Bazouges joined forces in 1990, the merger
becoming complete in 2006.
The town of Château-Gontier
celebrated its millennium in 2007.
On January 1, 2019, the
municipality of Château-Gontier merged with Azé and Saint-Fort. The
new commune, which takes the name of Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne,
becomes the second most populous commune in the department.
Located in the cultural center of the Ursulines, the Carré is a
cultural dissemination structure, labeled national scene in 2002 and
contemporary art center.
La Chalibaude is a free street arts
festival that was created in 1989 and offers a varied program each
year: circus proposals, burlesque theater, dance, visual arts ...
The comic strip festival, the Blues in Haut Anjou festival are
other cultural activities that punctuate the year.
The Le Foirail musical festival which takes place every year in
September in the Couvent des Ursulines.
The Voisinages Festival,
a variety of shows of all kinds, takes place every year in the Le
Carré theater, Scène Nationale.
The feast of Saint-Fiacre which
takes place next to the Haut-Anjou room and not far from the
hospital, is a small fun fair.
Association
The scouts and guides of France, John Paul II
group, have existed for nearly 80 years. Formerly known as the
Lieutenant Morillon group, it is located next to St Rémy church,
impasse du Haras.
The Pays de Château-Gontier library, previously rue Jean-Bourré,
gave way in early 2014 to a new media library, avenue Carnot, in
Bazouges. Visitors can explore the library's five thematic universes
and consult or borrow books and films. Throughout the year, the
library offers activities: storytelling, exhibitions, reading clubs,
meetings with authors ... Larger and more accessible, the new media
library offers visitors more CDs, DVDs, press and resources.
electronic.
Located in the cultural center of the Ursulines,
the Carré is a cultural dissemination structure, labeled national
scene in 2002 and contemporary art center.
Every year since
2015, a music workshop has taken place in July at Château-Gontier,
"The international summer academy of Château-Gontier", in which
talented teachers and more than a hundred students from France
participate. and from abroad.
City of Haut-Anjou, crossed by the Mayenne, Château-Gontier is a
sub-prefecture of Mayenne, located in the Mayenne angevine, 30 km
south of Laval which is the prefecture of this department and 40 km
north of 'Angers.
The agglomeration of Château-Gontier brings
together the towns of Bazouges, Azé and Saint-Fort. In 2010, this
urban unit brought together 16,373 inhabitants.
Château-Gontier has the largest calf market in Europe (Saint-Fiacre
park).
The highest point, listed at the level of 99 m on the
geographical directory of municipalities of IGN, in fact reaches 102
m north-west of Bazouges. It is located near the place called La
Forêt Neuve. The lowest point (26 m) corresponds to the exit of
Mayenne from the territory, to the south.