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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de Rosey, located in the eponymous village of Saône-et-Loire, is an elegant building from the 3rd quarter of the 18th century. It is distinguished by its rectangular plan and its adorned facades, including a north forebody with a door in the middle of the hanger framed with Tuscan pilasters, and a south forebody with three spans topped by a pediment pierced by an oculus. The estate, preceded by a courtyard and an alley of trees, is inspired by French gardens. Private property, it does not visit but remains a remarkable architectural testimony of Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

The history of the castle begins well before its current construction. As early as the 16th century, the seigneury of Rosey was divided between two families exercising low and medium justice. In 1767, Antoine Clerguet, captain of the great falconry of France, unifies the property and has the present castle built, perhaps inspired by architect Émiland Gauthey. When he died in 1789, the estate belonged to Vincent-Mathias Villedieu de Torcy, who abandoned him during the Revolution.

During the revolutionary period, the castle was confiscated as demigrated property and sold to Antoine-Denis Bottex, clerk in Chalon-sur-Saône. The latter destroys the chapel and library, two side wings with balustrade, partially altering the original set. The estate then changed hands several times: acquired by the Vitteaut family in 1819, then by Mme de La Grandière in 1903, before moving on to his nephew Victor Pardon in 1945. Since 1976, it has belonged to Robert Arnal. Ranked historic monument in 1977 for its facades and roofs, it now embodies a preserved heritage, although transformed by the hazards of history.

The Château de Rosey illustrates the architectural and social changes of pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary Burgundy. Its style, blending classicism and local influences, reflects the taste of the 18th century provincial elites. The revolutionary destructions and changes of owners in the 19th and 20th centuries marked its evolution, while preserving its original character. Its registration for historic monuments in 1977 underscores its heritage value, despite its status as private property not accessible to the public.

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