Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The farm of Bel-Air, located at the place called Bel-Air on the commune of Frangy (Haute-Savoie), is an agricultural and residential complex whose origins date back to at least the 15th or 16th century. Its house body, partially built before 1660, was enlarged in the 17th and 18th centuries, while its vineyard outbuildings date back to the 18th and 18th centuries. The estate illustrates the evolution of a noble farm, combining wine production (Roussette de Savoie, Gamay) and residence of notables, as evidenced by its painted decorations and pigeon tree, symbol of privilege.

The farm owes its present configuration to Philibert Chaumontet, notary to Frangy (1773–16), who made embellishments there before his death in 1819. The estate, which remained in the Chaumontet family until the beginning of the 20th century, was then exploited as an agricultural farm until the 1960s, with confidential wine production. In 2010, the house, the dovecote, the washhouse and the well were listed as historical monuments, saved from a destruction project linked to the widening of a rural road.

The site preserves 17th-century hydraulic elements, including an aqueduct supplying a public washhouse and fountains. The house body houses French-style ceilings (mid-eighteenth) and murals (before 1788), probably commissioned by the Bouvier family. These sets, rediscovered in 2004, represent maritime scenes and landscapes, reflecting the cultural exchanges of the time. The pigeon tree, built after 1730, and the secular chestnut tree recall the social status of the owners.

Threatened in 2009 by municipal projects, the farm was preserved through media mobilization, leading to its full protection. Today, occupied by private owners, it is not open to the public, but exceptional visits make it possible to admire its scenery and architecture, witness to the rural and wine history of Savoy.

The buildings, organized around a narrow courtyard, also include a stake, a bread oven (rebuilt in 1760), and vaulted cellars. The ensemble, labeled by the Heritage Foundation, belongs to the Historical House network. Its inscription reflects its heritage importance, both agricultural, architectural and historical for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

External links