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Origin and history

Villars Castle is a medieval building located in Beaune-d'Allier, in the department of the Allier (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). Built at the end of the 15th century, as evidenced by its chimneys, it stands on a height overlooking the valley of the Eye, close to the historical border between the Auvergne and the Bourbonnais. Its architecture combines a main house with two spans and three levels, a south tower, an old bakery, as well as the hamlet's habitats integrated into its courtyard. Four round towers once delineated the Little Court, of which only one remains today in the state of ruins.

The seigneury of Villars, one of the oldest in Beaune-d'Allier, was mentioned in 1322 with Hugonin de Molins, the first known lord. Eight noble families succeeded, including the Molins, who marked its history until the mid-17th century. Charles de Molins, squire, is probably the builder of the current castle around 1485. Nicolas de Nicolay cites the domain in his General Description of Bourbonnais (1569). The property then passed to the Saint-Martin, then to the Bressolles by inheritance, before being acquired in 1689 by Jean Desbouis, merchant and judicial officer at Moulins.

In the 18th century, the castle belonged to the Desbouis de Sallebrune family, of which Jean-Baptiste (1707–82) held prestigious positions: lieutenant in particular on the seneschal floor of Bourbonnais and mayor of Moulins. Sold to farmers (Siramy family) at the end of the century, the estate turned into a farm before being abandoned in the 1980s. Since 2006, enthusiasts have begun its progressive restoration, still in progress in 2024.

The architectural ensemble, characteristic of the Bourbonnais, reflects the social and economic evolutions of the region, from medieval lords to bourgeois owners, then to its agricultural decline. The 15th century chimneys and the remains of the towers recall its defensive and residential origin, while its strategic location near the historical border underscores its past importance.

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