Nicknamed the little Versailles of Mayenne, the castle of Craon stands on the hill of Guinefol, overlooking the city of Craon to be seen from a distance without being approached. Real palace in the countryside, reflecting the classical architecture of the eighteenth, it is adorned with a jewel of 47 hectares and has retained all the architectural elements that still bear witness today what was "the life of castle" . It reigns a pleasant sweetness of life typically Angevin

The Marquis d'Armaillé when he inherits the old feudal home of Craon, partly destroyed by the wars of religion and then by Henry IV, decides to build a hunting lodge, real palace in the countryside worthy of his power and his fortune. His grandson will separate from the castle which will be transmitted from generation to generation in the family of Champagné and Guébriant.

The eighteenth century building consists of a large rectangular building and two pavilions forming short wings.

The north-east facade of the castle is preceded by a main courtyard, whose entrance is framed by two quadrangular pavilions flanked by four corner turrets: the chapel and the carpentry pavilion . The entrance is surmounted by a pediment bearing the arms of the Champagné and Langle families.

The south-west facade looks more elegant and more refined with drapes, garlands and masks on the garden. A slight front of the house is surmounted by a carved pediment: Flore is crowned with flowers by a little love wearing a mirror.

The rooms on the ground floor, in a row, opening onto the garden have retained their original decorations, including remarkable carved paneling. Thus the small salon is decorated with carved panels of wreaths, flowers and masks. Garlands frame mirrors and portraits painted in ovals. In the music room, the decorations reproduce a Louis XIV style: with spears and quivers framing the mirror and the alcove mingle with floral motifs and musical instruments.

In the early twentieth century, the owners continue the redevelopment of the castle in the Louis XVI style. The library, the vestibule and the dining room are thus decorated and furnished to give the interior of the castle a unity of style which corresponds to its architecture.

The castle is surrounded by a beautiful French garden and a large park of 42 hectares. A river, the Oudon, meanders down the park and brings its freshness. You can walk on four kilometers of paths lined with hundred-year-old trees and more than 150 plant species, discover the swan basin, a beautiful cooler, a laundry-laundry, a dovecote, the small boxwood garden ... The old kitchen garden , with its greenhouses and orangery, was restored in 1992 by Count Louis de Guébriant.

You may come across an alley, horses, goats or cows, geese, swans or ducks and sometimes even deer.

Visitors benefit from a paper guide very well done that allows them not to miss the most interesting points.

The summer the ground floor of the castle can be visited with a guide who will reveal the little anecdotes and other secrets of the castle. Little kids appreciate being able to dress up for the time of the visit and a booklet of games allows them to learn history and to follow the visit while having fun!

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