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Origin and history

The castle of Pierre-Perthuis, originally named Fort de Pierre-Perthuise, was built in the 10th century by Rotmond, then bishop of Autun (928–968), who offered it to his children from a marriage prior to his episcopate. Surrounded by double ditches and walls, today there is only a partially destroyed poterno, undergrounds near the old castral chapel (integrated with the ramparts), and a 30 metre hexagonal tower overlooking the Cure River. This tower, demolished 8 meters after the Wars of Religion, was restored with a lava blanket, probably under Vauban.

In 1180 King Philippe-Auguste held a royal assembly there on his journey to Vézelay, condemning Gérard de Vienne for sacrilegious flights to churches and monasteries. The royal charter drafted on the spot bears the mention "Datum Petrœ Pertusi, in palatio nostro", attesting to its administrative importance. The site was also a military issue: besieged in 1430 by the troops of the Dauphin (ally of the English), then taken over in 1433 by Philip III the Good, Duke of Burgundy, after the fall of the first enclosure (Le Boulevard).

The current remains include a house prior to the destruction of the fortress, as well as the poterna, classified as Historic Monument in 1971. Historical sources, such as the writings of Abbé Baudieu (XIXth century) or Jules-Marie Genty, highlight his role in feudal conflicts and his gradual decline after the Wars of Religion. The tower, symbol of its past power, always overlooks the village and the valley, recalling its strategic importance in the medieval Morvan.

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