Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Jenzat, located in the Allier department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, is distinguished by the presence of two castles in the same park: an old 15th century castle, oriented to the east, and a classic 18th century castle, whose facade overlooks the south. These buildings coexist with the remains of a 13th century round tower, the last witness of the first medieval castle. A monumental gate marks the entrance to the estate, leading to a tree-lined driveway towards the classical castle.

The site has undergone three major construction phases: a 13th century primitive castle, of which only a round tower remains; a strong house of the 14th-15th centuries; and a classical castle erected between 1760 and 1780 by Jean-Baptiste Julien du Jouhannel, adviser to the Paris parliament. The latter also arranged French-style gardens, completely re-designing the space around existing buildings. The estate, acquired in 1744 by his father Guillaume du Jouhannel, an anobli magistrate, remains today the property of their descendants, the family of Roquefeuil.

Ranked a historic monument in 1995, the castle of Jenzat protects not only its buildings, but also its gardens, its fence, its entrance gate and the main driveway of the Pre Piteau. His history was marked by notable transactions, such as the sale of a third of the castle in 1651 by Blain de Chauvigny de Blot to Gilbert de Champfeu, lord of Riage. The interior decorations of the 18th century, including a iron staircase and woodwork, underline this period's fascist.

The castle illustrates the architectural and social evolution of a seigneurial estate, from a medieval fortress to an aristocratic residence of the Enlightenment. Its park, structured according to the principles of the French gardens, reflects the influence of 18th-century aesthetic ideas, while the conservation of the 13th-century tower and 15th-century castle offers a rare testimony of the superposition of the epochs on the same site.

The Jovenel family (or Jouhannel), at the origin of the 18th century transformation, played a key role in the modernization of the estate. Jean-Baptiste Julien, in particular, embodied this transition by combining medieval heritage and classical innovations. The 1995 rankings preserved this exceptional ensemble, where feudal history, Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment blend together, while maintaining the link with the descendants of the original owners.

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