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Origin and history

The Château de Chevigny, located in Millery in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, finds its origins at least from the thirteenth century, with written traces attesting to the seigneury from 1282. Guillaume de Mello was the lord in 1282, followed by Pierre d'Ostun in 1308. The site played a marked military role: in 1360 the seigneury rebelled against the baili d'Auxois, leading to a siege of the castle. In 1368, the garrison was mobilized to hunt companies in maraud, and in 1455, the bailli of Auxois went there to demand the payment of a tax to finance the crusade against the Turks. These events underscore its strategic importance in the region.

In the 16th century, the castle was partially dismantled: on 23 April 1592, its defences were destroyed, marking a turning point in its history. Despite this, impressive remains persist in the 18th century, as illustrated by a description of 1794 evoking four towers, a square courtyard surrounded by ditches, and a stone dovecote still in use. The architecture then reflects partial reconstructions, mixing medieval elements (round towers, ramparts) with larger openings typical of the eighteenth century.

Together, today partly ruined, preserves traces of its defensive past: three round towers remain, as well as a dry ditch of 18 meters wide, partially filled. The central rectangular courtyard, once lined with buildings, now houses modern buildings. Ranked in historical monuments in 1994, the castle illustrates the architectural and political evolution of Burgundy, between medieval seigneury, religious conflicts (wars of Religion) and post-revolutionary agricultural transformations.

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