Destruction of the previous castle début XVIIe siècle (≈ 1704)
Previous building disappeared before 1752.
1752-1755
Construction of the current castle
Construction of the current castle 1752-1755 (≈ 1754)
Replaces a building destroyed in the 17th century.
XIXe siècle
Adding a cottage
Adding a cottage XIXe siècle (≈ 1865)
Modification of existing park.
28 juillet 1975
First MH protection
First MH protection 28 juillet 1975 (≈ 1975)
Façades, roofs, gate and three interior rooms.
24 août 2005
Second MH protection
Second MH protection 24 août 2005 (≈ 2005)
Extension inside and in the park.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The facades and roofs of the castle and communes; the entrance gate with its gates; the following rooms with their decor: dining room, small living room and chapel (cad. A 412): entry by order of 28 July 1975 - The whole interior of the house, the entire park (including the fence walls, the entrance to the communes, the cottage and the walls of the vegetable garden) with the exception of the elements already protected (see 381 AC 97, 108 to 111; B 328 to 330): inscription by order of 24 August 2005
Key figures
Information non disponible - No names cited in the sources
Unidentified sponsors and architects.
Origin and history
The castle of Percey-le-Pautel, located at Longeau-Percey in the Great East, was built between 1752 and 1755 to replace an earlier building destroyed in the early seventeenth century. This 18th century pleasure castle illustrates the architectural cannons of the period, with a characteristic interior organization: the noble rooms, oriented towards the garden, are served by a corridor on the courtyard side, an already traditional arrangement in this second half of century. The interiors retained their original décor, including wooden and stucco panelling, painted door tops, haze chimneys, and a wrought iron ramp staircase, testimony to the modest splendor of provincial aristocratic residences.
The French-style park, although partially altered, retains its original structure centred on two large alleys crossing in front of the terrace. The parterres, now disappeared, left room for water still visible, while the location of the vegetable garden, bounded by its fence walls, remains identifiable. A cottage was added in the 19th century, marking an evolution of landscape tastes. Together, including the house, the communes, the entrance gate and its gates, as well as the chapel, received successive protections under the Historical Monuments (1975 and 2005), highlighting its heritage value.
Ranked as a Historic Monument, the castle embodies the way of life of the 18th century rural elites, where the balance between architecture, interior decor and landscaped layout reflected both an aesthetic ideal and a social demonstration. The legal protections now cover facades, roofs, interior decorations (dining room, living room, chapel), as well as the entire park and its outbuildings (walls, chalet, vegetable garden), thus preserving a coherent whole despite the minor alterations suffered over the centuries.
