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Origin and history

Martigny Castle is an emblematic monument to the seigneury of Colmey, Lorraine. Built in 1573 (or 1583 according to sources) for Marguerite de Xivry, wife of Jean de la Mouillie, it was erected with the permission of Duke Charles III of Lorraine. This castle, typical of 16th century defensive architecture, included a porch tower and an angle tower, elements still visible today. It symbolized seigneurial power in this border region of the Barrois, then under Lorrain influence.

Over the centuries, the castle changed hands by marriage alliances or inheritances, passing to the families of Wopersnow, of the Han (teachers of Martigny), then to the Girault, whose captain undertook important works in the 19th century. These transformations include the reconstruction of the house body and the creation of a French garden, reflecting the evolution of aristocratic tastes. The property was then owned by Soleyrol, Husson, and then by Chevigny, a family still owned in the 21st century. The site, partially preserved (west facade, moats), was listed at the Historic Monuments in 1972 for its defensive elements and architecture.

The castle is part of a territory marked by Lorrainen history, between ecclesiastical influences (proximity of the Three Bishops) and strategic (Roman way, border pillar of the eighteenth century). The region, rural and agricultural, preserves Gallo-Roman traces (Martigny wells) and medieval ones, like the church Saint-Hubert de Flabeuville, linked to the priory of Dun. The site thus illustrates the superposition of times, from the Middle Ages to modernity, in a preserved landscape.

In the 19th century, a large house was attached to the castle, marking an adaptation to bourgeois lifestyles. The moat and the commons, protected by the 1972 decree, bear witness to this duality between military heritage and seigneurial residence. Today, the castle remains a heritage landmark of the Great East, associated with local figures such as Hubert de Chevigny (1949–2022), the last owner and renowned aviator.

The hydro-geographical context of Colmey, crossed by the Chiers (a tributary of the Meuse), and its temperate mountain climate (ocean and continental influences) also shaped the history of the estate. The dominant agricultural soils (75% of the territory in 2018) recall the rural anchoring of the seigneury, while the surrounding forests (25%) evoke the resources exploited for its construction and maintenance.

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