Initial construction Avant 1555 (≈ 1555)
Castle before that date
1617-1627
Development work
Development work 1617-1627 (≈ 1622)
Major changes in housing
22 juin 1928
MH classification
MH classification 22 juin 1928 (≈ 1928)
Protection of the entire castle
3 décembre 1969
Registration of facades/roofs
Registration of facades/roofs 3 décembre 1969 (≈ 1969)
Presumed chapel pavilion
6 avril 2011
Registration of communes
Registration of communes 6 avril 2011 (≈ 2011)
Protection of dependencies
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The castle: classification by decree of 22 June 1928 - The facades and roofs of the pavilion (presumed former chapel) (Box ZI 90): inscription by decree of 3 December 1969 - The communes (Case ZI 97): registration by decree of 6 April 2011
Key figures
François Eygun - History of Art
Studyed the fresco of the castle
Grégory Vouhé - Specialist in iconography
Identified the fresco as *Proscribed killed by Céphale*
Antonio Tempesta - Italian Gravel (1555-1630)
Author of the source board (1606)
Origin and history
The Château de la Grande Jaille, located in Sammarçolles in the department of Vienna, is an emblematic Renaissance monument. Built before 1555, it underwent major modifications between 1617 and 1627. The house, of trapezoidal plan and flanked by four corner turrets, dominates a court of honor. A corner pavilion, presumed to be an ancient chapel, as well as a stone entrance pavilion covered with slate, testify to its refined architecture. The commons, in rubble under flat tiles, complete this historic ensemble.
Ranked a historic monument in 1928, the castle saw its facades and roofs of the pavilion registered in 1969, while its commons were in 2011. The site preserves remarkable elements such as an ancient carpentry portal, a vaulted passage of ridges, and a fresco inspired by the Metamorphoses of Ovide, identified as Procris killed by Céphale after an engraving by Antonio Tempesta (1606). This work, originally confused with the death of Endymion by François Eygun, was reawarded by Grégory Vouhé.
The castle illustrates the architectural evolution between the 16th and 19th centuries, mixing defensive features (doves, scallops) with residential and decorative elements. Its entrance châtelet, typical of the Renaissance, and its 17th century door underline its heritage importance. Dependencies, still partially intact, offer an overview of the lifestyles and spatial organization of the major domains of the time.
Located at 2 Rue de la Jaille in Sammarçolles, the castle enjoys a well documented location (precision: 7/10). Its exact address, referenced in the Merimée base, confirms its anchoring in the territory of Vienna, in New Aquitaine. The successive protections reflect the historical and artistic value of this monument, a witness to the social and cultural transformations of the region.
