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Origin and history

The Château de la Poivrière, located in Saint-Sylvestre-Pragoulin in Puy-de-Dôme, is a medieval building built in the 14th and 15th centuries. It consists of three bodies of L-shaped buildings, flanked by five towers, and an isolated square-plan building. The roofs, mostly croup or conical, contrast with the polygonal roofs of two towers. Although its military aspect was mitigated by subsequent transformations, notably in the 15th and 18th centuries, its original structure remains identifiable.

In the 19th century, a neo-Gothic turret was added to the east corner of the courtyard, partially changing its appearance. The castle belonged to the Le Groing family from the 15th century until 1670, before passing into the hands of Louis de Bourbon, Count of Busset, then Gaspard Colin de Gévaudan in 1707, and finally Gilbert de Chauvigny from 1754 to the Revolution. Interiors and roofs were largely remodelled between the 19th and 20th centuries, gradually erasing its original medieval character.

The estate, surrounded by a park with a basin, has been partially protected since 1978, with an inscription covering facades, roofs, fence walls and the chapel. Although its exact location is approximate (precision noted 7/10), it remains an architectural testimony of the transformations suffered by medieval castles over the centuries, mixing defensive heritage and residential adaptations.

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