Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Motte-Farchat is a Renaissance building built in the 2nd quarter of the 16th century on the site of an ancient feudal moth, in Fleury-sur-Loire (Nevere). It dominates the left bank of the Loire River, and its architecture is directly inspired by the castle of Amboise, with a rectangular plan, a slate roof, and a floor of attices illuminated by carved fronton windows. From the former medieval fortress, there remains only a round tower flanked by a square turret, located to the west.

The present castle is erected in 1525 by Guillaume de Villaines, whose weapons appear on the shield above the central door, surmounted by a niche decorated with a shell. In the 19th century, the northern facade was modified by the addition of two towers (round and square) at the corners, as well as two turrets of stairways attached to the gables. The attic, pierced by three pinnacle windows, reflects the architectural influence of the first French Renaissance.

Partially listed as historical monuments since 1964, the castle protects its facades, roofs, the entrance poterne and an isolated tower to the north. Its history remains closely linked to the family of Villaines, while its strategic location near the Loire makes it a witness to the river exchanges and the Burgundian aristocracy of the time.

The site, referenced in the Mérimée base, maintains a precise address (1 La Motte Farchat, 58240 Fleury-sur-Loire) and an Insee code linking the commune with the Nièvre (department 58). No information is available on its current accessibility (visits, accommodation) in the sources consulted.

External links