Château de la Caraterie

The Château de la Caraterie is a historic residence located in the commune of Paulx (with part of the estate also extending into the neighbouring sector of Saint-Étienne-de-Mer-Morte), in the Loire-Atlantique department of the Pays de la Loire region in western France. It lies in the southern part of the department, near the Vendée border, in the Machecoul area.

The estate originally belonged to the de La Jou family. It passed to the de Cornulier family through the marriage in 1651 of Charles de Cornulier with Louise de La Jou, dame de la Caraterie. Later owners included the d’Escrots d’Estrée and Le Loup de La Biliais families.

The present château dates from the 19th century and replaces an older building that was destroyed by fire during the royalist insurrection of 1832, one of the last episodes of the Vendée/Chouannerie uprisings. The site was depicted by the 19th-century artist Félix Benoist.

The château and its surroundings were classified as a protected natural site (site naturel classé) in 1980. Detailed architectural descriptions and information on current ownership or public access remain limited.