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Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Lyonne is a seigneurial house built in Cognat-Lyonne, in the department of l'Allier, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Reconstructed in 1569-1570 by Claude de Reclesne after a fire in 1568 during the Battle of Cognat, he presented a U-shaped plan with two common buildings. Its Renaissance-style facades date back to this reconstruction, while the roofs, a greenhouse and a chapel (including statues from Vendat Castle) were added in 1846, during a major restoration.

The estate extends around a court of honor and a model farm, organised in parallel courtyard. A domestic chapel was attested in 1698, and the castle appeared on the map of Cassini in 1760 as well as on the cadastre of 1839, suggesting enlargements in the 17th and 18th centuries. Property of the Boutray family until 1978, it embodies the architectural and social evolution of a Bourbon seigneury, marked by successive redevelopments and a strong territorial anchor.

Located in the village of Lyonne, the castle borders the departmental road D2209 between Gannat and Bellerive-sur-Allier. Its park and outbuildings reflect a spatial organization typical of the aristocratic homes of the region, combining residential, agricultural (model farm) and religious (chapel) functions. The use of recapture statues, such as those of Vendat, illustrates the current re-use practices in 19th century restorations.

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