Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Prye, located in La Fermeté in the Nièvre, is a major building of the 17th and 19th centuries, built on the remains of an ancient medieval fortress of which remains a tower and moat. Isolated in the Valley of Ixeure, at 240 meters above sea level, it consists of two housing bodies connected by a covered passage, built of local stone. The estate, surrounded by a 7 km wall, includes a park designed in 1873 by landscape architect Edouard André, as well as stables inspired by Versailles, built in the 1880s by Antonin of the Bourg de Bozas, squire of Napoleon III.

The present castle combines classical elements (Louis XIII gallery, carpeted lounges) and neo-Gothic elements (acute fronton windows, arches in a braid). A three-level hexagonal tower and a turret surmounted by a polygonal arrow mark its northeast end. The King's Chamber, arranged for Jean Sobieski, king of Poland and husband of Marie-Casimire-Louise de La Grange d'Arquien, bears witness to his prestigious past. The stables, today the reception room, and the management transformed into a rural gite illustrate the contemporary adaptation of the estate, classified as Historic Monument in 2006.

The family of the Bourg de Bozas, owner since the 18th century, marked the history of the place. Emmanuel du Bourg (1894–1990) auctioned the famous chateau library in 1990–1991, while Antonin du Bourg (1836–922) and his son Robert, an explorer who died in Niger in 1902, embodied his family heritage. The park, of mixed style, and the forest massifs arranged with perspectives towards the castle underline the landscape ambition of the nineteenth century.

The coat of arms of the Maison Du Bourg, visible on the entrance pavilion, recall their status as Marquis. The castle also preserves traces of its medieval origins, like a circular tower with a talute base, once equipped with an integrated staircase. Architects Massillon-Rouvet, Tarlier, and Thomas Albert contributed to its reconstruction in the late 19th century, while Edward André designed the park and gardens, merging nature and architecture.

The forge of Prye, acquired in 1812 by the Marquise du Bourg de Bozas, and the Château Saint-Hubert en Sologne, sold in 1923, testify to the extent of the family property. The estate, awarded for its exemplary restoration, remains a remarkable example of preserved heritage, combining history, architecture and landscapes, today partially open for events.

The lords of Prye, such as Gaucher (circa 1100) or Jean de Prie (1285), as well as Marie-Casimire-Louise de La Grange d'Arquien, queen of Poland, marked his history. The castle, entirely classified (castle, stables, park, walls), embodies nearly nine centuries of transformation, from medieval fortifications to 19th century landscape developments.

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