La Goupillère: 860 years of history in the heart of Sarthe

In 1161, an archival document mentions for the first time "la Goupillère" - from the Old French goupil, the fox, recalling the game-filled woods which surrounded the estate. Nine centuries later, the castle and its outbuildings still stand on the same lands of Perche Sarthois, bearing within their walls the traces of an entire history of France.

From medieval lords to marquises of the Ancien Régime, from post-revolutionary reconstructions to contemporary restorations, La Goupillère is a summary of the history of Sarthois heritage. A look back at the major stages of this journey through time.

Medieval origins: 1161, birth of a Sarthe stronghold

The first known mention of the stronghold dates from the reign of Louis VII. The Lord of La Goupillère held his lands as a fief from the Count of Maine - Sarthe was not yet a department but a territory disputed between the great feudal houses of northern France. The primitive castle, built in wood and then in local tuffeau, commands the Huisne valley and its water mills.

In the 13th century, the stone construction gave La Goupillère its characteristic silhouette: a square tower, dry moats, a main building facing south. The coats of arms of the lords - three mouth pins on a silver field - are recorded in the nobiliary of Maine. Archaeological excavations carried out on the estate have uncovered remains from this period in the foundations of the castle.

The seigneurial heyday: the Marquis de la Goupillère (1500–1789)

The Renaissance brought its first major architectural transformations to the area. A main building on the facade, mullioned windows and a French garden replace medieval austerity. The lords of La Goupillère, ennobled in the 16th century and elevated to the rank of marquis under Louis XIV, maintained a sumptuous lifestyle: stables with forty horses, saddlery, orangery, vegetable garden surrounded by walls.

The Revolution of 1789 marks a brutal turning point. The estate was classified as national property, sold as emigrant property, then gradually bought back. The collections and furniture are scattered, but the castle itself survives, spared the destruction that ravaged many stately homes in Sarthe during the Terror.

The reconstruction of 1861 and the 19th century

In 1861, the castle underwent a major restoration campaign under the Second Empire. The Sellerie, which overlooked the main courtyard, was completely rebuilt in the neo-classical style popular at the time. It is this building, carefully restored at the end of the 20th century, which today welcomes the estate's guests.

The park has been redesigned in the English style - large lawns, groves of century-old oaks, avenue of lime trees leading to the entrance gate. The estate's 250 hectares of woods are replanted with oak groves to supply the local timber industry. La Goupillère becomes one of the beautiful examples of preserved Sarthois rural heritage from the 19th century.

La Goupillère today: an open heritage

Arnaud and Catherine Le Saige took over the Goupillère estate with a clear project: to open this living heritage to visitors who wish to live, for the duration of a stay, in a castle in Perche Sarthois. La Sellerie, a charming gîte set up in the former marquis saddlery, offers 4 beds in an authentic historical setting where each stone tells nine centuries of history.

Between the walls that sheltered the lords of Maine, the marquises of the Ancien Régime and the owners of the 19th century, each stay at La Goupillère is an invitation to slow down, and to reconnect with the essence of deep Sarthe.