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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de La Roche in Larochemillay, Burgundy-Franche-Comté, succeeds a long line of fortresses attested from the eighth century. Placed on a rocky peninsula, the site of an ancient Roman oppidum, it was the heart of a powerful barony of Nivernais. The village developed under its protection, reflecting its central role in the local feudal organization. Two circular towers and ramparts remain of the medieval castle, destroyed by fire in 1412.

The present castle, built between 1720 and the first quarter of the 18th century, was commissioned by the Marshal of Villars and completed by Count François de La Ferté-Meun with architect Michelangelo Caristie. Its classic and sober style contrasts with the romantic remains of the collapsed dungeon. The interior decorations, although redesigned in the 19th century, retain elements from the 18th century. A fire in 2008 partially destroyed the east wing, and a collapse of the enclosure wall in 2017 required restorations still in progress.

The seigneury of La Roche-Millay, dependent on the duchy of Nivernais, counted at the end of the Ancien Régime 33 seigneuries in high justice and more than 50 in average or low court. Its estates included 13 forests and 19 ponds, generating considerable revenue. Louis XIV raised the title of the family owner to that of Count at the end of the seventeenth century. The castle, listed as a historical monument in 2002, was successively owned by the families of Noailles and Montesquiou-Fezensac after 1851.

The history of the castle is marked by violent episodes, such as the destruction of a first building in 762 during the conflicts between Waifre, Duke of Aquitaine, and Pépin the Brief. In the 12th century, John II of La Roche-Millay organized a bold coup in Autun to free imprisoned lords, before being condemned to public humiliation. The archives of the seigneury, burned in 1792, deprive historians of many details of its feudal administration.

The strategic site dominates the confluence of the Roche River and the Marauds Creek. Its current architecture, despite the vicissitudes, bears witness to the transition between the medieval fortress and the aristocratic residence of the Enlightenment. The restoration works aim to preserve this heritage, classified as one of the sites selected for the Heritage Lotto in 2018.

The nearby Saint-Gengoult chapel and the fortress of Touleur, close to the sea, underline the historical importance of this area of Morvan. The castle, open to visit under conditions, remains a symbol of feudal and then nobiliary power in Nivernais, between military heritage and classical elegance.

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