The Château de la Bonnetière is located in the town of La Chaussée, in the department of Vienne, 16 km south of Loudun.
Located to the north-west of the town, the site was initially a fortress in the 13th century which was integrated into the defense system of the Seneschal of Loudun. It consisted of four towers linked together by buildings (communes, lodgings) and forming a courtyard.
In the 17th century, alterations were undertaken, modernizing the castle and ridding it of its too military aspects to transform it into a noble and comfortable residence. In the 19th century, additions at right angles were fitted out, completing the neo-classical style dwelling. Of the primitive towers, only vestiges remain except on the "west" side where two turrets are attached to the dwelling.
A chapel is also located on the estate, whose fame, however, is due to another ancient element: it is, in the courtyard, a 14th century dovecote restored in the 17th century, equipped with buttresses, and whose the roof rests on consoles. A small staircase provides access to the interior. Able to accommodate some 1300 pigeons, it was in its time the most important in the region and thus symbolized the prosperity of the masters of the place.
Listed in the Inventory, the château remains private property. It is open to the public from time to time, especially in summer. Otherwise, its exteriors can mark out a short hike in the town of La Chaussée, also known to be a French cradle of Acadia: many inhabitants left in the 17th and 18th centuries to found agricultural colonies in "New France". Information on +33 5 49 22 22 22.
