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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of the Bussière, located in Saint-Marcel-l'Éclairé, finds its origins in the sixteenth century with a strong house called Grange Dei, enlarged and surmounted by a gazebo. At the beginning of the 18th century, this strong house was replaced by a field house built by the Gayot-Mascrany de la Bussière family, which embellished the gardens with fountains and erected a dovecote. The modern "L"-shaped buildings retain a western Renaissance façade, while the interior decorations, dating from the late eighteenth century, remain of great authenticity.

The Grange Dei, inhabited in the 16th century by a Lyon draper, is transformed thanks to the intervention of François I, who rewards Constance Dei, wife of the draper, for a service rendered. In 1650 Mathieu Durand and his wife Anne Royet acquired the property and expanded it. Their daughter, Andrée, married Lambert Rouvière in 1712, and the estate was sold to the canons of Saint Paul. In 1738, Jeanne Marie Rouvière, daughter of Andrée, married Paul I Gayot Mascranny de la Bussière, bringing the Grange Dei in dowry, which then took the name of château de la Bussière.

During the Revolution, the castle was spared thanks to the popularity of Paul II Gayot Mascranny with the inhabitants of Oullins, who liberated him and protected the estate. In the 19th century, after the death of Amélie Gayot Mascranny in 1889, the last heiress without descendants, the castle ceased to be inhabited. During World War II, he served as a refuge for the inhabitants of the neighbourhood. In 1953, the premises were transformed into a luminaire factory, before being bought in 1999 by the Grand Lyons, and then transferred to the commune of Oullins.

Since 1997, parts of the castle (façades, roofs, gardens, and interior decorations) have been classified as Historic Monument. In 2017, the city of Oullins launched a rehabilitation project to create housing and a municipal hall, while developing a medieval garden in front of the castle. The works aim to preserve this Renaissance heritage, marked by the history of the Lyon families and the industrial evolution of the region.

The coat of arms of the Gayot, Mascrany and Gueston families, associated with the castle, reflect their nobility and influence. The Gayot family, in particular, was one of the first to introduce the silk industry in Lyon. The castle, now being renovated, thus embodies centuries of local history, combining architecture, economy and social life.

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