Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Brassolard House, located in Saint-Nizier-de-Fornas in the Loire, is a historical monument dating back to the 14th century. It is distinguished by its spatial organization, including two large barns-stables, one of which, measuring 22 m by 16 m, is considered one of the largest in the department. The house, rectangular, is flanked by a tower and extended by buildings of commons and a dovecote, all forming an inner courtyard covered with an awning. This monument derives its name from Jean de Brassolard, the first owner certified in 1375, who could have benefited from a title of nobility, justifying the name of "strong house".

The history of the fort house is marked by several changes of influential owners. In 1394, the Choutants family took possession and preserved it until 1638, when Marguerite Choutants, the last heiress, married Pierre de Gayardon. In the 18th century, in 1742, Jean Baleyguier became owner and undertook architectural changes, including the drilling of new bays. In 1842, property passed through marriage to the Audry family. The whole, including the surrounding parcels, was inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 25 January 2021, stressing its heritage importance.

Brassolard's architectural composition reflects its mixed use, both agricultural and residential. The house, organized on two levels plus the attic, houses remarkable elements such as a chimney coat of more than 4 meters and an atypical engained staircase. The local tradition also evokes the presence of a chapel on the ground floor of the pigeon house. Although only Jean de Brassolard seems to have obtained an annoyance, the strong house illustrates the high social status of its successive owners, linked to the aristocracy or the land bourgeoisie of the region.

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