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Origin and history

The manor house of Parsonge is an old fortified house built in the 4th quarter of the 16th century, located northeast of Dardilly, in the metropolis of Lyon. The site includes, in addition to the main house body, a barn, an old worker's kitchen, a shed and a washhouse, all of which have been listed as historic monuments since 19 November 1991. Its architecture is distinguished by arcades on the ground floor, two floors of galleries with cubic columns, and a square staircase tower. An inscription "A PARSONGE" adorns the gate, while a shield and the coat of arms of the family of Villars — from Azure to the head of Gules in charge of a lion leoparded with silver — recall its former owners.

The history of the mansion dates back to at least 1493, where a text described it as a "beautiful and low house" with outbuildings, a garden and a pre-watered fountain. In the 16th century, it belonged to the family of Villars: François de Villars (died 1582), married to Françoise Gayan, then their son Balthazar de Villars (1557–1629), seigneur of Laval and provost of the merchants of Lyon, inherited. The latter, married to Louise de Langes, leaves the estate to his three daughters. Today, the manor house is owned by the commune of Dardilly and retains traces of its seigneurial past, such as the disused chapel of the first floor.

The agricultural buildings and the nearby fountain, where the Villars coat of arms remains, complete this complex representative of the Rhônalpine houses. The archives mention the mansion in 19th century works, such as the Dictionnaire universelle de la nobility de France (1820) or the Archives historique du Rhône (1827). Its inscription in the title of historical monuments highlights its heritage interest, linked to the social and architectural history of the Lyon region.

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