Destroyer fire 1614 (≈ 1614)
Original castle destroyed by fire.
1660
Certified reconstruction
Certified reconstruction 1660 (≈ 1660)
Date engraved on the lintel of the rebuilt castle.
1880
Construction of the chapel
Construction of the chapel 1880 (≈ 1880)
Neo-Gothic chapel built by Moreau.
20 décembre 1985
Partial MH registration
Partial MH registration 20 décembre 1985 (≈ 1985)
Protection of the gate, chapel, tank, basin and wash.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Gateway; chapel; tank; basin; see box B 567-569, 573, 574) : entry by order of 20 December 1985
Key figures
Famille Luylier - Owner and reconstructor
Owned the castle after the fire of 1614.
Moreau - Architect of the chapel
Designed the neo-Gothic chapel in 1880.
Origin and history
The Château du Plaix, located in Meaulne-Vitray in the department of Allier (region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), is a 17th century building. It consists of a central house body extended by a wing of communes and a small building in the east, surrounding a courtyard closed by a wall with entrance gate. A garden, two chapels (old and neo-Gothic from 1880), a washhouse, a cistern and a pond complete the whole. The façade on courtyard bears the date of 1660, engraved on a coat of arms.
The original castle was destroyed by fire in 1614 and rebuilt by the Luylier family, who owned several properties in the area. The reconstruction, attested by the lintel of 1660, incorporates defensive elements such as a moat (now partially filled) and a cistern, reflecting the fear of a new sinister. Inside, a wooden staircase ramp from the 17th century and a romantic living room with preserved decorations (painted paper, marble fireplace, gilded fog) testify to its architectural evolution.
The present chapel, built in 1880 by architect Moreau, replaces an older building transformed into a hangar. In a neo-Gothic style, it also served as a family vault, with murals and ornamental sculptures. The castle has been partially listed as historical monuments since 20 December 1985, protecting its portal, chapel, cistern, basin and washhouse.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the facade on the courtyard was altered by the addition of a cement staircase, while the facade on the garden, dominating an old moat, retains access through a bridge leading to the garden. The ensemble illustrates the successive adaptations of a seigneurial estate, between medieval heritage (fire defences) and beautifications of the 19th to 20th centuries.
