Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Ponneau, located in Jully-lès-Buxy in Saône-et-Loire, is a modest building originally dating from the 15th century, rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries. It consists of a rectangular building flanked by two circular towers, completed later by a portico and arcade gallery, served by a stair tower. The neighbouring chapel, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint James, was erected in 1447 by Gérard Joly, a member of an influential Burgundy family. It preserves Gothic elements, such as a trilobed arch window, and naive decorations evoking the pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela.

The seigneury of Ponneau, mentioned in 1537, changed hands frequently: alienated to Antoine de Bressey, then taken over by Nicolas de Thyard before being assigned to Hugues de Rouuvray in 1555. In the 17th century, it passed into the hands of the Mucie, Pouffier, and Joly families, including Alphonse Bonnamour, buried in the chapel in 1699. After the Revolution, the estate was sold as a national property, then acquired by local families such as the Janthial or the Sons-John, before being restored in the 19th century by Paul Adenot, who modified the chapel.

The castle, a private property since the 20th century, was listed as a Historic Monument in 1995. Its architecture reflects successive transformations, mixing medieval defensive elements and Renaissance additions. The chapel, restored in 1882, illustrates the modest religious art of Burgundy from the 15th century, with its arches in the middle of the hangar and its chorus in a dogive cross. The archives also reveal the local economic importance, as the Joly tilery, active until the 19th century.

The coat of arms of the seigneurial families (Thyard, Rouvray, Mucia) recall their prestige, while 18th century trials evoke conflicts related to the chores and use of local fortresses. General Chaillet, the last notable owner, was an actor of the Second World War, thus linking the history of the castle to national events. Today, the site, not open to the public, bears witness to seven centuries of Burgundy history, between seigneurial power, religious devotion and architectural change.

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