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Origin and history

Château d'Ettevaux is a private property located in the commune of Poil, in the Nièvre department, in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Built from 1730 on the site of an older building, it is now used as tourist accommodation. The castle is distinguished by its position to the west of the commune, along the departmental road 192, at the border with Larochemillay, and is considered the most visible of the six castles of Poil.

The Ettevaux fief, attested as early as 1281 under the name Estevaul, historically depended on the county of La Roche-Milay (Larochemilllay). He enjoyed the rights of medium and low justice, allowing his lord to render judgments for minor cases, while the high justice was the responsibility of the Count of Larochemilllay. The hamlet of Ettevaux, now attached to Poil, was probably linked to Larochemilllay before 1860, when Poil was separated by imperial decree.

The present castle was built in 1730 and restored in the 19th century after a fire by the Baron of Galembert. A neogothic chapel, built in 1821 to replace an old one, was blessed on October 6 of the same year. In 1748 the estate was acquired by Zacharie Bertrand de Rivière, tax attorney for the bailiwick of Larochemilllay. The chapel, frequented regularly by the parish priest of Poil, bears witness to the religious and social importance of the place.

According to the sources, the northern chapel of the church of Poil was built by the house of Estevaux during the Renaissance period, although this claim remains to be confirmed. The spelling variations of the fief's name (Estrevaulx, Estevault, Etuau) reflect its historical evolution, documented notably by Abbé Baudieu in his writings on the Morvan.

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