Château de la Gobinière

The Château de la Gobinière stands in the present Parc Michel-Baudry in Orvault. Joseph Vincent, owner of several tanneries on the Quai de Versailles in Nantes, had it built from 1872 as a secondary residence. The building with turrets was completed in 1878. The ground floor contained the large salon, music room and dining room, the first floor the bedrooms, the second the library and servants’ rooms, and the basement the kitchens and dairy. After Joseph Vincent’s death in 1886 his son Félix took over the estate as his main residence. In 1923 Félix Vincent junior sold the château to the Dominican Contemplative Sisters, who converted it into a convent and installed a chapel on the ground floor. In 1951 it passed to the Sisters of the Retreat (Maison Massabielle), who used it as a place of spiritual retreat and modernised it. In 1976 the town of Orvault acquired the property and dedicated it to culture. In 1987 a fire destroyed the roof and top floor; restoration was completed in 1995.

The neo-Gothic historicist building with turrets and crenellations stands in a public park. The ground floor is used for exhibitions and the first floor houses the municipal services for culture and sport. The former stables contain the Théâtre de la Gobinière. The château is owned by the town of Orvault and is publicly accessible as a cultural centre (exhibitions, offices, events).