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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Druy-Parigny, located in the eponymous commune of the Nièvre department, is a building whose origins date back to the thirteenth century. Its current structure, mainly dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, bears witness to a characteristic defensive architecture, with twisted towers, murderers and a hers. The west side retains fragments of the wall, while the north side houses an 18th-century house, built on the site of old buildings. A chapel decorated with dogives and murals also remains in the enclosure.

The history of the castle is marked by several destructions and reconstructions. First burned in 1356 by the English, it was rebuilt and burned again in 1388. In 1463, John of Etampes, bishop of Carcassonne, began his reconstruction, before he was looted in 1562 during the Wars of Religion. A last fire, perpetrated in 1945 by German troops, left only the defensive towers of the porch standing. The estate, now owned by the Count of Maigret, has been partially classified as a historical monument since 2004.

Protected elements include facades, roofs and the entire chapel. The castle illustrates the architectural evolution and historical vicissitudes of a barony linked to the bishopric of Nevers. The still visible canonary arches, as well as the remains of prisons and defence devices, recall its past military role. Despite the changes of the 17th and 19th centuries, the site retains traces of its strategic and religious importance in the Middle Ages.

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