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Origin and history

The Château de Buffières, located in Montbellet in Saône-et-Loire, is located on a small eminence. It preserves remains of its original rectangular enclosure, including walls, a corner tower, and a rectangular dungeon adjacent to a five-sided tower. The current buildings, partly agricultural, bear witness to its evolution over the centuries. The site, a private property, has been listed as historical monuments since 1992, specifically protecting the dungeon, a tower of staircase with screws and the west tower.

The history of the castle dates back to the 12th century, when the first building, the seat of a Barony of the Mâconnais, was owned by the family of Montbellet. Destroyed at the end of the 13th century by order of the Parliament of Paris because of the abuses of the Tower, it was rebuilt in the 15th century, probably by a member of the Montbellet or by Louis de Montregnard, husband of Jeanne de Chandié. In the 16th century, the estate passed to the Maugirons through the marriage of Philippe de Lugny with Guillaume de Maugiron, before being sold to farmers in 1685.

In the 18th century, Barony was acquired by Jean-Baptiste Giraud, whose family preserved it for nearly two centuries. The last representative of the Girauds owned it at the end of the 19th century. The castle thus illustrates the architectural changes and property changes typical of Burgundy castles, between seigneurial power, family alliances and economic adaptations.

Historical sources, such as François Perraud's (1921) or the Guide des Châteaux de France (1985), highlight his role in local history. Today, although not open to the public, there remains a testimony of the Baronies of Mâconnais and of medieval and modern defensive architecture.

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