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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château d'Audour, located in Dompierre-les-Ormes en Saône-et-Loire, is a 2nd quarter-century building. Built on a rectangular plane between two wings, it is dominated by a square tower to the west and surrounded by commons to the east. The park, landscaped by botanist Philippe de Vilmorin, is inspired by romantic gardens, while an old water room and a dry canal recall the 18th century hydraulic installations. The castle, now privately owned, is not visited, but its facades and roofs have been protected since 1971.

In the 13th century, a first fortified castle, composed of a square tower and ditches, was erected by the family of Ris. After the destruction of the conflicts between Charles the Temerary and Louis XI in 1473, it was rebuilt by Guillaume de Fautrières. The estate then passed through successive alliances to the families of Lestoux, Damascus, and then Dortan, before being profoundly reshaped in 1775 by Mathias-Claude de Damascus, the king's musketeer, according to the plans of architect Jean-Pierre Caristie.

The castle was a golden age in the 19th century under the family of Forbin, director of royal museums, even welcoming Venus de Milo during its transit to Paris. Philippe de Vilmorin, husband of Mélanie de Gaufridy de Dortan, created there in 1903 the Arboretum de Pézanin, while Lamartine made it a poetic description in Cours familiare de littérature (1862), comparing the site with a "Château de Marie Stuart in a Scottish landscape". Purchased by the municipality in 1967 to avoid its demolition, it is now maintained by a private owner, Claire Beygo.

Excavations made during the excavation of the Audour Canal in the 18th century revealed Roman objects, reflecting an ancient occupation of the site. The castle, marked by unfinished works during the Revolution, preserves architectural elements of the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as a park classified for its botanical and landscape interest. Its history reflects the social and cultural transformations of Burgundy, from medieval lords to 19th-century art collectors.

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