Construction of the castle 1897-1899 (≈ 1898)
Edited by René Moreau, Louis XIII style.
22 avril 2003
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 22 avril 2003 (≈ 2003)
Protection of the castle and outbuildings.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The castle (façades, supporting structures and blanket), the vestibule and the large staircase, the dining room, the large living room, the small living room; the facades and roofs of the communes, including the Gardner motor used for electricity generation; the facades and roofs of the orangery; facades and roofs of the entrance pavilion; the dovecote (cf. B 369): registration by order of 22 April 2003
Key figures
René Moreau - Architect
Manufacturer of the castle (1897-1899).
Comtesse d'Aubigny d'Esmyards - Owner late 20th century
Last mentioned owner.
Origin and history
The castle of Esmyards, located in the commune of Navour-sur-Grosne (Saône-et-Loire), was built between 1897 and 1899 by architect René Moreau, at the site of an old destroyed castle. The building adopts a style inspired by Louis XIII, combining bricks and stones, with a central body flanked by two side pavilions. Its interiors, including salons, have a neo-Louis XV decor, while the estate includes a landscaped park, an orangery, commons, and a dovecote. This castle is representative of the eclectic architecture of the late 19th century, combining historical references and technical innovations, as a Gardner engine for electricity production, still present in the outbuildings.
The castle of Esmyards was inscribed under the title of historical monuments by order of 22 April 2003, a protection covering not only the main building (façades, roofs, vestibule, large staircase, living rooms), but also its outbuildings: common, orangery, entrance pavilion and dovecote. At the end of the 20th century, the estate belonged to the Countess of Aubigny d'Esmyards, the last owner mentioned. Its architecture and history reflect the taste of Burgundy aristocracy for rural residences combining modern comfort and traditional aesthetics, in a region then marked by a still largely agricultural and wine-growing economy.
The park and related buildings, such as orangery or commons, illustrate the importance attached at the time to reception and leisure spaces in bourgeois and noble properties. The choice of the Louis XIII style, popularized under the Second Empire and the Third Republic, reflects a desire for historical legitimacy, while the technical developments (electricity) reveal an adaptation to industrial progress. The location in Brandon, now integrated in Navour-sur-Grosne, places this castle in a rural territory, where these residences often played a local social and economic role, although the sources do not specify its exact impact on the community.
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