Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Machuraz, locally called the castle of Artemare, finds its origins in the 12th century on a territory then covered with brush. Between 1160 and 1181 local lords (Gui de Graiseu, Aymon, Humbert de Luyrieux, Guillaume de Roieu) gave their lands to the Cistercian monks of Saint Sulpice. These religious develop a prosperous vineyard, building a barn in the 13th century, then a tower in the 14th century, replaced by a strong house in the 15th century. This winery, mentioned from 1183, extends through successive acquisitions (rights of Hugues de Mornay in 1258, d-Emeline in 1263, etc.).

In the 16th century, the fort house gave way to the present castle (then named Macheras Castle), which underwent major alterations in the 19th century. In 1789, the estate was burned and its towers shaved during the Revolution. Repurchased in 1809 by civilian owners, it was profoundly transformed from 1875 by Louis Marie Meaudre des Gouttes, Lyon magistrate. The architect Paul Rostagnat (1882–89) added neo-Gothic elements: reconstructed towers with mâchicoulis, gargoyle gallery, chapel decorated with stained glass and sculptures. The stables, the monumental gate and the guard house date back to that time.

The castle preserves traces of its wine past: vaulted cellars with press and barrels, vegetable garden on terraces, and makes housing a fountain. Property of the Meaudre des Gouttes family since 1875, it is classified as a Historic Monument in 2006 for its whole (castle, communes, park, gate, etc.). Its history reflects the evolution of a medieval agricultural estate in aristocratic residence, marked by successive architectural styles and political upheavals.

Before the 19th century, the site belonged to Baron Leon of Germany, grandson of General Claude of Germany, hero of the wars of the Republic and the First Empire. The monks of Saint Sulpice, who had been owners for six centuries, had established a renowned vineyard, which had been exploited until the 18th century. The round tower integrated with the northern façade and some earlier elements bear witness to these historical strata.

Registration for Historic Monuments in 2006 protects the entire estate, including rare elements such as the northern staircase with its fountain or 19th century interior woodwork. The castle thus illustrates the transition between a medieval monastic exploitation and a bourgeois residence of the Second Empire, while preserving remains of each era.

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