Initial construction XVe-XVIe siècles (≈ 1650)
Building of the castle, part 15th century mentioned.
1714
Purchased by Pierre Raby
Purchased by Pierre Raby 1714 (≈ 1714)
The silk merchant becomes its owner.
1841
Family marriage
Family marriage 1841 (≈ 1841)
Transfer to the Tabouët family.
9 décembre 1983
Registration MH
Registration MH 9 décembre 1983 (≈ 1983)
Protection of facades and roofs.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Facades and roofs of the castle and its communes (Box ZC 42): inscription by order of 9 December 1983
Key figures
Pierre Raby - Owner in 1714
Wife merchant, buyer of the castle.
Virginie Raby de La Lande - Inheritance in the 19th century
Wife Amable Tabouët in 1841.
Amable Tabouët - Owner by covenant
Virginie Raby's husband in 1841.
Origin and history
The Château de la Lande is a building located in Vallon-en-Sully, in the department of Allier (region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). Built in the 16th and 18th centuries, it is distinguished by its U-shaped plan, open to the west, and partially preserved moat. This monument illustrates the architecture of the Bourbon farm houses, combining agricultural and residential functions under the Old Regime. The central body, flanked by two wings once serving as commons, retains a homogeneous character, with a chapel at the eastern end of the north wing.
Acquired in 1714 by Pierre Raby, a silk merchant in Montluçon, the castle then passed to his descendants, who took the name of it. In 1841 he joined the Tabouët family through the marriage of Virginie Raby de La Lande with Amable Tabouët. The site, surrounded by agricultural buildings in the north, is listed as historical monuments in 1983 for its facades, roofs and commons. The ditches, still visible to the south and west, highlight its defensive and utilitarian organization.
The castle of the Lande embodies a preserved rural heritage, reflecting the local economy of the time, marked by agriculture and the trade of canvases. Its inscription as a Historical Monument in 1983 recognizes its architectural value and its role in the history of Bourbonnais. Sources, such as the Merimée base and Wikipedia, confirm its importance as an example of a mixed seigneurial dwelling, typical of the region before the Industrial Revolution.
