Castle of the Swimming pool dans l'Hérault

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Piscine, originally called Mas de la Peyssine, was originally a hunting estate owned in 1435 by Charles de Boucicot, advisor to the Montpellier Court of Accounts. This estate passed into the Belleval family through the marriage of Anne de Boucicot with Georges de Belleval. In the middle of the eighteenth century, François Gaspard Richer de Belleval entrusted the architect Jean Antoine Giral, famous for the perspective of Peyrou, the construction of the present castle, completed in 1771. This monument is a typical example of Montpellieran madness, pleasure residences built by the local aristocracy.

In 1814, the castle welcomed for three weeks Élisa Bacciochi, Grand Duchess of Tuscany and sister of Napoleon I, fleeing the invasion of his Italian states. The property remained in the Belleval family until 1817, before changing hands several times. In 1893 it was acquired by collector Alfred Chaber, whose son, André, restored the French gardens at the beginning of the 20th century. The name Château de la Piscine dates from this period, although its exact origin is not specified in the sources.

The castle has been classified as a historic monument since 1942 for its facades, interiors (including the large living room and the green cabinet), park, and works of art such as the chapel and basins. In 1965 he was visited by Queen Mother Elizabeth on a private trip. Today, the estate, still owned by the descendants of the Chaber family, is only visited on the occasion of Heritage Days, thus preserving its private character and architectural heritage.

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