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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château d'Oyez, located in the commune of Saint-Simon (Cantal, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), consists of two distinct parts: a feudal motte overlooking the Jordanne valley, a vestige of an ancient castle controlling the passage, and a seigneurial mansion from the 15th to the 16th centuries, formerly called La Salle d'Oyez. The latter features a body of rectangular houses flanked by a circular tower, an octagonal scallop and a turret with cut strips, with a door and carved decorations dated from the 16th century. Inside, the interior decorations, rare for the rural Haute-Auvergne, bear witness to an unusual artistic refinement for the time.

The site is attested as early as the 14th century under the name of its owners, the family of Oyez, still mentioned in the 15th century in the vicinity. In the middle of the 16th century, Guillaume Cambefort, advisor at the Presidial of Aurillac, partially rebuilt the castle after his marriage in 1543 with Marguerite de La Roque, heiress of the places. The estate then passed to the Peytavi families (late 18th century), then Delzangles, the latter providing a mayor to Saint-Simon. The castle, protected since 1972 for its facades and roofs, thus combines medieval heritage and Renaissance.

The castle of Oyez illustrates the evolution of fortifications in seigneurial residence, typical of the transition between the Middle Ages and the modern era. The feudal motte, a primitive defensive element, coexists with a Renaissance home with neat ornaments, reflecting the social ascent of its owners (magistrates, local notables). The successive families — d'Oyez, La Roque, Cambefort, Peytavi — left architectural and genealogical traces there, while his protection under the Historic Monuments in 1972 underlined his heritage interest. Today, summer tours and exhibitions are organized to enhance this heritage.

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