A Tour of Sainte-Suzanne, Mediaeval Town
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A TOUR OF SAINTE-SUZANNE, MEDIAEVAL TOWN PAYS DE LA LOIRE EDITORIAL The mediaeval town of Sainte-Suzanne is a little jewel part-way between Laval et Le Mans, and now one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France. Perched on its rocky outcrop, this «Pearl of Le Maine» dominates the surrounding country and amazes visitors with its uniqueness. This town in the heart of the Coëvrons-Mayenne Pays d’art et d’histoire, has a rich and diverse heritage and is set in an unspoilt natural environment which will delight lovers of country walks. In 2009, La Mayenne council renovated the logis – the classic residence inside the chateau – to form a centre for interpreting local architecture and history (the CIAP). This show- case on all types of local heritage presents and explains not only the history of the Pays d’art et d’histoire but also the many riches of the wider département of La Mayenne. Photo credits Cover The town seen from Leaflet design the Tertre Ganne and Diabolo, studio of a detail of the main Imprim’Services front of the 17th century after DES SIGNES residence. studio Muchir Desclouds 2 © CD53/SP 2015 CONTENTS 5 SAINTE-SUZANNE, mediaeval TOWN 9 KEEP AND DRAWBRIDGE 12 THE FORTIFICATIONS 14 THE HOUSE 16 THE INTERPRETATION CENTRE FOR ARCHITECTURE AND HERITage (CIAP) 20 THE mediaeval TOWN 24 SAINTE-SUZANNE’S SURROUNDINGS 26 SAINTE-SUZANNE TOWN plan 3 1. THE TOWN AND THE CHATEAU SEEN FROM THE TERTRE GANNE © CD53/SP 2. AERIAL VIEW OF THE CHATEAU AND TOWN © Roland Gaillard 1 4 2 SAINTE-SUZANNE, MEDIEVAL TOWN BOTH SAINTE-SUZANNE’S HISTORY AND BUILDINGS ARE CLOsely LINKED TO THE medieval PERIOD AND especially TO THE laTE 11TH CENTURY WHICH SAW HUBERT II DE BEAUMONT AND HIS CASTLE WITHSTAND THE ATTacks by WILLIAM THE CONQUEror’S SOLDIERS. ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIGS UNDERTAKEN IN 2006 SHOWED THAT THE FavOURABLE POSITION OF THE Headland, RISING SIXTY METRES OVER THE RIVER ERVE HAD ENCOURaged THE GAUls TO OccUpy IT FROM THE 6TH CENTURY BC. AN OLD OccUpaTION Charlemagne in the 8th century which would The Sainte-Suzanne site is known for its have come before the Romanesque keep? The medieval remains, but excavations that were mystery still has not been resolved. undertaken in 2006 at the base of the logis have shown that the site was occupied much THE DEFEAT OF earlier. Traces of a dwelling (fireplace, pottery, WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR metal objects) show that it was occupied as It was certainly in the early 11th century early as the 6th century BC (Iron Age). This that the Beaumont family, viscounts of high promontory was chosen because it has Maine, built the keep that still stands today natural defences on two of its three sides. within the castle walls. It housed the seat It was clearly a symbolic prestigious place. of a manor comprising a growing town and There are several indications that the whole lands gradually cleared from the Charnie headland was surrounded by a vitrified forest. Towards the end of the century, rampart. This type of fortification is made Sainte-Suzanne was involved in the conflict by applying high heat (up to 1400°C) which between Normandy and Maine. William the binds the blocks together and gives them the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy and king of appearance of cooled lava. England, wanted to extend his possessions to the south and seize the province. Diplomacy THE KEEP: DOES IT daTE FROM failed and war broke out. The strongholds THE TIME OF CHARlemagne? fell one by one under the Norman attack. The Romanesque keep was restored between In 1083, the Conqueror laid siege to Sainte- 2001 and 2003 and a careful archaeological Suzanne, defended by Hubert de Beaumont. record was made of the stonework. When a After the failure of the early attacks, he built survey of the ground of the monument was earthworks to make a camp for his army. made, foundations forming an angle were Traces of this fortification can still be seen discovered. Is this evidence that its orientation along the road leading to Assé-le-Béranger. was changed during its construction in the Since the Normans still had not taken the early 11th century, or are they the foundations town after three years, decided to start talks. of a wooden building at the time of Hubert de Beaumont agreed to negotiate and 5 1 peace returned. According to Orderic Vital, a it to his wife, queen Margot, who sold it in contemporary chronicler, Sainte-Suzanne had 1604 to William Fouquet de la Varenne who been victorious “because of the rocks and the was one of king Henri’s inner circle. The king thick vines that surrounded it on all sides.” rewarded him for his loyalty by making him marquis du Lude and de la Flèche. Fouquet A TROUBLED HISTORY de la Varenne also organised first postal The conflicts between the lords of the Manor service in the kingdom. From the 17th century lessened as the king of France regained his to the Revolution, Sainte-Suzanne was a authority and enforced it on the princes and small town acting as a staging post for the their vassals. However, this authority wavered royal administration as is shown by the salt again in the 14th century, sending the kingdom warehouse, a symbol of an unpopular tax.. of France into the Hundred Years War against England. In 1425, Sainte-Suzanne was unable to withstand the English artillery and was taken. Jean de Bueil finally won it back from the English in 1439 after the betrayal by John Ferramen an English soldier. A century later, the wars of Religion again bathed the country in blood. From 1589, members of the Catholic League and supporters of Henri IV fought over the town. The ramparts of the fortress still show traces of these two conflicts since it was at this time that the machicolations, square towers and loopholes were made. 1. PORTRAIT OF MARGUERITE DE VALOIS KNOWN AS «QUEEN MARGOT», AN ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE PRepaRATORY SKETCH by FRANÇOIS CLOUET © Bibliothèque Nationale, th In the 16 century, the fortress belonged Cabinet des Estampes to Henri IV, who had inherited it from his grandmother, Françoise d’Alençon. He gave 2. PORTRAIT OF HENRI IV IN OLD age 6 © Musée national du château de Pau 2 7 1. AXONOMETRIC VIEW OF THE KEEP © Joseph Mastrolorenzo 8 1 KEEP AND DRAWBRIDGE THE medieval ENTRANCE THE KEEP The early entrance to the castle was restored The Sainte-Suzanne keep is a typical example a few years ago. At first (12th century?), it of the Romanesque keeps in Western France, consisted of a simple passage bordered by two with its quadrangular floor plan and massive guard rooms of which only two semicircular buttresses. It has three levels each with arches remain. It is probable that the entrance a specific use: storage, reception, private was substantially remade in the early 14th quarters. Originally, there was no access to century by building a wide passage topped by the ground floor from the courtyard. The a broken arch in red sandstone. The bascule opening through which modern visitors enter draw-bridge is certainly not earlier than the the building was made in the 19th century. 15th-16th centuries, a period when the two This lower level was used for storage of food imposing buttresses were added which served and equipment and was not a living space. to both shelter the bridge’s lifting mechanism The narrow openings were to give light and and to strengthen the defence. So there were ventilation and were not used for weapons. three parts to the defensive system: gates – Access to the keep was from the first floor portcullis – bridge. This ostentatious work was using movable, probably wooden, staircases. also a means of demonstrating the power of When under attack the wooden staircase the local Lords. In the early 17th century, could be removed to make the inhabitants William Fouquet de la Varenne who had safe from the attackers. The first floor was his house built at the rear of the courtyard, the main living floor. It housed the aula or decided to abandon the medieval entrance in Great Hall where the lord received his vassals, favour of the current entrance which creates delivered justice and demonstrated his power. a beautiful prospect over the façade of the This room was lit by six recessed windows house for visitors arriving at the castle. The and had various conveniences: two latrines, medieval gatehouse then became a dwelling two sinks for washing and cooking, closets, with a bread oven. vaulted corridors formed within the thickness 9 2 1 of the walls. The room on the second floor is the highest and biggest in the building. It is lit by nine recessed windows, and was probably for the private use of the lord and his family. Using a hatch hidden in the north wall, this level gave access to a room hidden within the stonework. This carefully designed room with two windows and a cupboard was difficult to reach but was protected from fires,. It was probably the “treasure room” for keeping precious objects including documents as well as jewellery. For safety reasons, this room is not open to visitors. The two fireplaces that can be seen on the west wall (cleared during restoration) seem to have been hardly used. 1. WEST INTERNAL elevaTION OF THE KEEP © CD53/SP 2. SOUTH SIDE OF THE KEEP 10 © CD53/SP 3 4 3. SECOND FLOOR OF THE KEEP, SEEN FROM THE WEST © CD53/SP 4. THE DRAWBRIDGE FROM THE WEST MOAT © CD53/SP 5.