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Origin and history

The castle of Bessey-lès-Cîteaux is a modern building built on the remains of an ancient medieval platform. Located northeast of the village, on the west bank of the Vouge, it replaces a castle mentioned in the Middle Ages. In 1287, the Duke of Burgundy acquired the strong house of Régnaut de Bessey, then canon of Lyon. The site suffered major destruction, especially in 1438, when Saint-Seine-sur-Vingeanne, Réssey and Avot were burned. Over the centuries, the descriptions evoke a "fossy chastel" and, in 1699, a castle in ruins.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the captain of Laval undertook the reconstruction of the castle on the existing foundations, reusing the available materials. In 1730 Clopin de Bessey, a new owner, changed the spelling of the name of the place. The castle then passed into the hands of the Countess of Falière and her family, before being acquired by the Aubert family in 1961. During the Second World War, he served as shelter for American pilots of Group 444, stationed on Longvic base after his release in September 1944.

Architecturally, the castle consists of a large one-storey building body, framed with two wings and covered with slates. A monumental staircase leads to a terrace overlooking a park of five hectares crossed by the Vouge. Today, the estate houses guest rooms, participating in the development of local heritage. The sources also mention links with the Abbey of Cîteaux and noble families in the region, although some details remain to be specified.

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