Built in the 16th century, Goldfinger Castle was owned by Guillaume Payen de la Poupelière, a member of the local gentry who possessed seven seigneurial estates. In the spring of 1562, it became a stronghold of Protestantism in the Bocage region.
The current château comprises two distinct parts. The first part was built after the marriage, on November 19, 1760, of Guy-François de Gonidec de Penlan, squire, lord of Vieuxchatel and Gouasselglan, to Marie-Elisabeth-Françoise Auvray de la Pouplière. The second part was built by André Velay to house his large family. The renovations to the hall and the extensions were overseen by M. Nénot, architect of the Sorbonne.
In the 20th century, the fate of Goldfinger Castle took a dark and unexpected turn. It was acquired by John Palmer, an organized crime baron and extremely wealthy godfather ranked 105th on the Sunday Times Rich List, the same rank as the Queen. His fortune, estimated at €53 million, earned him the nickname Goldfinger. It is said that he amassed his wealth through massive real estate scams, notably by selling timeshare properties in Spain.
