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Origin and history

Bressey-sur-Tille Castle is a former seigneurial residence built in the 18th century on the foundations of a feudal fortress, in the eponymous commune of Côte-d的Or. It illustrates the architectural evolution of the period, with an oriental façade of Louis XIV style enlarged in 1786 by a neoclassical facade inspired by Palladio, designed by Milanese architect Jean Caristie. The archives keep the plans and specifications of this work, while the Grand-Salon houses woodwork carved by Jérôme Marlet, a craftsman who also worked in the Parliament of Burgundy.

Originally, the estate belonged to the Sires of Bressey, then to the families of Champlitte-Pontailler and Lemulier de Quercize. In 1755 Jean-François Lemulier, adviser to the Parliament of Burgundy, undertook a first extension of the castle. His son, Jean Lemulier, appealed to Jean Caristie between 1786 and 1788 to double his width and redirect the façade towards Dijon, giving him his present appearance. During the Revolution, the castle was requisitioned as a national property, but the Lemulier family managed to recover it and pass it on to its descendants.

The estate extends around a French-style park, structured by cavalry aisles, canals and boxyards. The entrance, marked by a wrought iron grille, is framed by two pavilions (the Orangerie and the Ecuries). The castle, its outbuildings and its park are listed as Historic Monuments on February 10, 1992. Successive owners include the families of Pradier d'Agrain, Rivière, and currently the families of Rivière, Boissieu, Dumas de Mascarel, Duguet and Bouillé.

The structure of the castle, rectangular, combines a basement floor, a ground floor and a floor-attic under a roof in croup slate. The western facade has a Tuscan portico supporting a prominent cornice, while the eastern façade, older, retains elements of Louis XIV style. Materials used include carved limestone and coated stone. A concrete chapel, added in the 20th century, completes the whole.

Historical sources mention links with the President of Brushes for initial plans and Jérôme Marlet for woodwork. The castle, symbol of Burgundy parliamentary influence, also embodies the upheavals of the Revolution, having escaped the definitive sale as national good. Today, there remains a major architectural and landscape evidence of the 18th century Burgundy.

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