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Key figures

Origin and history

The Château des Granges is a medieval fortress built around 1468 by Durand Fradet, squire of King Louis XI. Located in Escurolles in the Allier, it is distinguished by its moats, its four towers (three of which remain), and its defensive elements like the murderers and a drawbridge. The set, organized around a square of 50 × 50 m, also included agricultural outbuildings and a dovecote integrated into a round tower.

In 1586 Gilbert Fradet, great-grandson of the builder, sold the castle to Charles de Caponni. In the 17th century, the abandonment of its defensive vocation was marked by the construction of a barn crossing the moat. During the French Revolution, the owner François de Reclesne, deemed "enemy of the Revolution", was guillotined in 1794. The castle, partially "defeodalized" (destruction of feudal signs), escapes a total destruction: its murderers, moats and door of entry in basket handles are preserved.

The castle was acquired in 1980 by private owners and is now home to a private home and a traditional carpentry workshop (Atelier des Granges). Ranked a historic monument since 1983, it preserves medieval architectural elements, such as its large reception hall and its entrance castle pierced with defenses. Its history reflects the social and political transformations, from feudality to revolution, to its contemporary rehabilitation.

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