Château de Chavigny, Historical monument in Lerné, France.

Château de Chavigny stands in Lerné as a small 19th-century house built on the platform of a larger ensemble. The 1637 reconstruction by Pierre Le Muet, with raised Renaissance galleries joining two new wings, was largely demolished in 1839–40. What remains includes the service courtyard, the entrance portal, and the chapel with its staircase in a corner pavilion.

In 1634, Claude Bouthillier acquired the property and launched a major rebuilding project following new Renaissance designs. The transformation converted what had been a fortified manor into a modern aristocratic residence fitting the tastes of the era.

The name Chavigny comes from the fief held from the royal castle of Loudun, raised to a châtellenie in August 1520 and to a county in 1639. The seigneurial line is documented from Guillaume de Digoigne, holder in 1306-1327, and passed through the Maumoine and Le Roy families before the Bouthilliers, close to Richelieu, bought it in 1634 for 120,000 livres tournois.

The remaining structures can be viewed from the street and surrounding areas, making it possible to observe the architectural details without needing special access. Visiting on foot allows you to walk around the site and view it from different angles to appreciate its layout.

Between 1839 and 1840, a significant portion of the castle was demolished to make room for a smaller residence on the property. The builders reused stone and materials from the original structure to construct this new, more modest dwelling.