Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Marigny, located in Fleurville en Saône-et-Loire, is a 13th and 16th century building overlooking the Saône valley. It consists of a body of high roofed square houses, surrounded by walls and three round towers pierced with cannon guns. A central courtyard, accessible by a basket handle door, also houses agricultural buildings and a dovecote in a circular tower. A hexagonal tower adorns the north facade, showing Renaissance changes.

In 2021, archaeological excavations revealed a Gallo-Roman villa under the commons, including rare mosaics for the region. These remains, identified as the urban park of an ancient rural estate, led to the extension of the protection of the site in 2022. Originally registered in 1941 for its built elements, the castle is now fully protected, including its archaeological soils.

The history of the castle began around 1530, when the notary Philibert Pelez built a fortified house there. In the 17th century, the estate passed to Girard Perrier, a lawyer in Parliament, before being looted in 1789 during the Great Fear in Mâconnais. Sold in 1796, it belonged to the Chalot and Pitré families in the 19th century, during which time the apartments were renovated (1880). Today private property, it combines medieval, Renaissance and ancient heritage.

The discovery of the Gallo-Roman villa, with its mosaic floors, highlights the ancient occupation of the site. These remains, dated from the Roman era, reveal the strategic importance of the Saône Valley, a trade and settlement axis since ancient times. The present castle is thus superimposed almost two millennia of history, from Roman elites to medieval lords and modern owners.

External links