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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Quincey, located in the eponymous town of Côte d'Or (Burgundy-Franche-Comté), finds its origins in the 13th century under the authority of the Dukes of Burgundy. Originally owned by Pierre d'Aligny in 1366, then by Girard de Quincey in 1372, he was shaved under Louis XI before being rebuilt in 1487 by Claude Poinsot, lord of Eguilly and Grosbois. This first medieval building experienced violent episodes, as in 1572, when Jacques d'Orge and his wife were murdered during a looting by Protestant troops of the Duke of the Deux-Ponts.

In the 17th century, the castle became a prestigious reception place: in 1658, Louis XIV, then 20 years old, and Anne of Austria stayed there with the court, presiding over a session of the parliament of Burgundy in the chapel, an event commemorated by a plaque. After a fire in 1707, Antoine Cortois rebuilt the castle on its old foundations, giving it its present appearance. The estate, described in 1794 as a square courtyard surrounded by ditches (without medieval defensive elements), was preserved by various owners before being restored in 1995 by Jean and Anne Coignard-Dollinger, with the help of a heritage architect.

The current architecture, inscribed in the Historical Monuments since 1970, combines classical elements (flanking facades, decorated chapel) and landscaped amenities. The park, once designed by André Le Nôtre and then transformed to English, completes an ensemble dominated by a Tuscan portico added in the 19th century. The moat, the concierge and a dovecote of 2,000 bolts bear witness to its seigneurial past, while the ditches, fed by the Meuzin, recall its strategic location.

The castle thus illustrates the evolution of aristocratic residences in Burgundy, moving from a medieval fortress to an area of pleasure, marked by national events (wars of Religion, royal visit) and major architectural transformations. Its inscription in the title of Historical Monuments today protects its facades, roofs, chapel and moat, symbols of this Burgundy heritage.

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