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Origin and history

Grenaud Castle, also known as Grenod, is located in the town of Uchizy in Saône-et-Loire, in the valley of Ougie. This monument, which has been included in the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments since 1976, preserves medieval remains despite major changes in the 16th and 17th centuries. Its current architecture, marked by a body of rectangular houses flanked by two pavilions, reflects these transformations, although its dark and removed appearance still evokes a feudal den.

Originally Grenaud's land depended on the parish of Chardonnay, but his lords were linked to the Temple Sainte-Catherine de Montbellet, where they had founded the chapel of Tous-les-Saints, serving as a burial place. The seigneury changed hands several times: it belonged first to the Comtoise family of Fitigny at the end of the 14th century, then passed to the Montrichards in 1478. After the death of Philibert de Montrichard in 1575, the land was divided into three lots, before being reunited around 1600 by Louis de Mincey.

In the 17th century, the estate was transferred by marriage to Jeanne de Mincey, wife of Louis de Franc, then to Marc-Antoine de Lavaur in 1728. The French Revolution marked a turning point: the castle was seized in 1791 on Louis-René de Lavaur, before being bought by Jean-François de Lavaur. Until the end of the 19th century, the property passed into the hands of the family of Méziat, still by marriage alliances. Today, the castle remains a private property, inaccessible to the visit, but protected for its facades, roofs and a 15th century fireplace.

The archives also mention its role as feudal den, with a tower and medieval remains partially preserved. Although disfigured by the centuries, the site keeps an atmosphere removed, characteristic of the small rural seigneuries of Burgundy. Historical sources, such as François Perraud's book Le Mâconnais historique (1921), point to his roots in local and regional history.

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