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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de Beaubois, located in the town of Lezoux (Puy-de-Dôme), presents a composite architecture reflecting several periods. Its original nucleus is a strong house of the 14th and 15th centuries, partially preserved with a round tower to the east, the other towers having probably been damaged during the Revolution. This first building, modified in the 19th century to provide housing in the attic, bears witness to a medieval defensive occupation.

In the 17th century, a house body was added to the existing structure, dated precisely from 1629 by an engraved slab. This new element, framed by two square towers, marks an evolution towards a more comfortable residence, typical of the seigneurial architecture of the time. However, major transformations took place in the 19th century: the family of Tesson (or Tessay), owner since 1854, undertook an ambitious restoration after the partial destruction of the west wing during the Restoration. The reconstruction, carried out from 1861, was accompanied by the addition of a chapel in 1890, illustrating the eclectic taste of the time.

The 20th century saw the castle change hands with the acquisition by Louis de Chappedelaine, MP and Minister of Merchant Marine. In 1923, architect Pierre Laloy proposed an interior restoration project, while the monument obtained partial protection under the Historical Monuments as early as 1926 (façades, roofs and porch), supplemented by a 1982 decree. These protections highlight the heritage value of a building where almost six centuries of architectural history overlap, from medieval fortifications to romantic reinterpretations.

The current location in Lezoux (contradictory with certain sources evoking Bourseul in Brittany) is explained by the official data of the Merimée database, which place the castle in the Puy-de-Dôme (code Insee 63195). This geographical confusion may reflect homonymous or historical transcriptional errors. The protected elements today — facades, roofs (outside the west wing) and porch — correspond to the oldest parts and additions of the 19th century, excluding recent modifications or unremarkable extensions.

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