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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Bompré is an ancient fortified house built in the 15th century on the town of Barberier, in the Allier (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). Located between the villages of Barberier and Bayet, it dominates the plain of the Sioule and the Allier, on a plateau offering a strategic position. Its initial architecture, massive and rectangular, includes a house body flanked by a circular tower with a conical roof, typical of the bourbon fortifications of the time.

The monument underwent major changes in the 16th and 18th centuries, including the drilling of low arched windows that now gives it the appearance of a manor house. Inside, the vestibule is distinguished by a decor of square caissons covering walls and vaults, while a fireplace decorated with a free copy of the Cortège des mages by Benozzo Gozzoli (realized around 1953 by Swiss painter Ricco Wassmer) bears witness to his artistic occupation in the 20th century. The stairwell, dated the 3rd quarter of the 16th century, is comparable to that of the castle of Chareil-Cintrat.

Successive property of the Menudel families (15th century), Mareschal, then by alliance of the Revanger, Demastre, and Thoisy, the castle now belongs to the Portejoie family. Ranked a Historical Monument (inscription in 1989 for the whole, partial ranking in 1994), it also retains a nearby feudal motte, vestige of its medieval origin. Its history reflects the architectural alliances and transformations characteristic of the Bourbon nobility.

The site illustrates the evolution of strong houses into seigneurial residences, marked by aesthetic and functional adaptations. The protected fireplaces, including one decorated with a painting inspired by the Florentine Renaissance, underline its role both defensive, residential and cultural throughout the centuries. The location between Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule and Bayet makes it a witness to local history, linked to the territorial dynamics of Bourbonnais.

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