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Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Vouzay is located in the commune of Bourges, in the Cher department, in the Centre-Val de Loire region. It is located west of the city, on the edge of the Berry Canal, in a place called the Batard Mills. This site, marked by its aquatic environment, has probably played a role in its history and use over the centuries.

The castle is particularly famous for hosting the Abbé de Choisy, a playmate of Philip d'Orléans, brother of Louis XIV. The latter would be withdrawn to write his Memoirs (published in 1735), where he evokes his habit of dressing as a woman under the name of Countess des Barres. This anecdotal detail illustrates the atypical character of some occupants of the site.

In the 20th century, the castle changed hands and vocation several times. In 1934, the engineer Jules Roman became the owner, an episode told by his daughter, Monique Roman (wife of Claude Lévi-Strauss), in his autobiography. During World War II, the castle was requisitioned by the German army. Repurchased in 1946 by the Cher department, it was then converted into a domestic agricultural school and then into a centre for disabled people. Since 2014, it has been home to a medical-educational institute (IME), marking its lasting anchor in the social field.

Before these transformations, the castle seems to have experienced periods of abandonment. The philosopher Alain, during a stay in Bourges in 1903, describes him as abandoned. He then passed into the hands of foreign owners, such as Maud Chesson or a certain Mr. Laski, before his acquisition by the Romans. These transitions reflect the social and economic upheavals in the region at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Today, the castle of Vouzay embodies both an architectural heritage and a social memory. Its successive use for education and accompaniment for persons with disabilities is evidence of a constant adaptation to the needs of the local community, while maintaining its status as an emblematic historic monument of the Cher.

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