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Origin and history

The castle of Brazey-en-Morvan, located in the eponymous commune in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, finds its origins on a Gallo-Roman site, probably occupied from the twelfth century. In 1160, Labaud de Brazey was the lord, before the place passed, after 1502, to the family of Jaucourt, native of Champagne. Converted to Protestantism, this family had to flee after the revocation of the edict of Nantes in 1685. The present castle was rebuilt in 1666, and then thoroughly redesigned at the end of the 18th century.

The French Revolution marked a turning point for the estate: the central body was demolished in 1791, replaced by commons dated this year. The remaining wings, transformed into agricultural buildings after 1865, still house medieval remains, such as ditches and towers buried in vegetation. The right wing, the only one restored around 1975, preserves a vaulted 17th century floor and 18th century amenities, such as chimneys.

The castle changed hands several times: it belonged to the Comeau de Charny around 1768, before being acquired in 1974 by the writer Jules Roy, then by the family of Montalembert. Since 1976, its facades and roofs have been protected as historical monuments. The estate includes a park, an orchard, and outbuildings, testimony to its evolution between seigneurial mansion and farm.

The remains of the feudal castle, including walls, towers and ditches, recall its medieval past. Originally, the manor house, lined with moat, had six towers and three bodies of buildings organized around a square courtyard. Access was through a sleeping bridge and gate, preceded by a tree-lined avenue. Today, only the right wing, with its vaulted kitchens, evokes this past grandeur.

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