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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Arcelot Castle, located in Arceau en Côte-d'Or, is an emblematic monument of the 18th and 19th centuries. Its origins date back to 1711-1720, when Philibert I Verchère built a house composed of two pavilions. Between 1761 and 1764, his grandson, Philibert II Verchère, entrusted architect Thomas Dumorey with the creation of the present castle, the first example of a neoclassical style in Burgundy. The building, framed by the original pavilions, is distinguished by its colourful stuccos imitating marble and bas-reliefs, works by Reuscher and Challe.

The castle remained in the Verchère family until 1870, when Guillaume Verchère, the last direct heir, left the estate to his nephew, Ernest de Carrelet de Loisy. The park, designed at the end of the 18th century by Jean-Marie Morel, is a variant of the English garden, with a 7 hectare pond and a Chinese pavilion. Transformed in the 19th century, it retained typical elements of the era, such as a cooler and a dairy, and obtained the Remarkable Garden label.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1948 for the castle and in 1999 for its gardens, the estate remains today the property of the Carrelet de Loisy d'Arcelot family. In 2021-2022, a reception room called Le Trianon, combining neoclassical and contemporary styles, was built there. The castle thus illustrates the architectural and landscape evolution of Burgundy, combining historical heritage and modernity.

The building also houses a 13th century chapel, redecorated in the 18th century, where there is a black marble mausoleum erected in 1781 by Antoine-Louis Verchère in homage to his wife. The interior decorations, such as the Grand Salon with stuccos of 1765, and the wrought iron grilles of the staircase, testify to the artistic refinement of the period. The park, extending over 45 hectares, descends to a lake with two islands, offering a landscaped setting preserved and representative of romantic gardens.

The Château d'Arcelot thus embodies an architectural, historical and natural heritage, marked by ancient influences, landscape innovations and rare family continuity. Its inscription among the Historical Monuments and its label Jardin Remarkable underline its importance in the history of Burgundy heritage.

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