Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Sédières, located in Clergoux en Corrèze, finds its origins in the 14th century in the form of a medieval castle, deeply remodeled in the 15th and 16th centuries by Jean Boutier. The building, initially organized in quadrilateral with an inner courtyard, today only retains a drawbridge, two entrance turrets and a square dungeon. Dominique de Sédières, great-grandson of Jean Boutier, began from 1535 a major renovation inspired by the Italian Renaissance, financed by his marriage with a heiress of Pierre-Buffière. The works, completed in 1569, transform the castle: the ditches are filled, the walls of enclosures are cut down, and the facades adorned with turrets in pepper and ground windows.

In the 17th century, Lentillac heirs added a French garden and a chapel dedicated to Saint Laurent, destroyed after the First World War. The castle changed hands several times in the 19th century, especially in 1861, when Colonel Adolphe de Chanal, a future general and deputy, bought it and launched an ambitious restoration, perhaps led by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. The works include the reconstruction of the north-west wing and interior design with Renaissance elements (tapisseries, Italian ceilings). When Chanal died, his daughter and son-in-law, the Nyvenheimn Neukirchen, enriched the castle with art works and modernized its equipment (heating, gas lighting).

In 1882 the couple created an agricultural orphanage on the estate, welcoming up to 100 children trained in agricultural trades. Closed in 1904 due to secular laws, the castle fell into ruins after the First World War, where it served as a camp for German prisoners. Saved in 1965 by the General Council of the Corrèze, it was restored under the direction of the architects Gabor Mester de Paradj and Pierre Lebouteux. Since 1974, the Sédières festival has organized concerts and shows, giving life to this heritage, listed as a Historic Monument in 1958.

The architecture of the castle combines medieval elements (donjon, mâchicoulis) and Renaissance (windows, monumental chimneys, galleries). The large room on the ground floor, vaulted in basket handle, has hanging keys carved with the arms of the Boutier. A 16th century fireplace, decorated with medallions, bears witness to the passage of Henry IV. The estate, now departmental property, extends over 130 hectares and hosts exhibitions and summer cultural events.

Future

The Château de Sédières was purchased in 1965 by the General Council of Corrèze and a festival, the Sédières festival, has been held there from June to September since 1974.

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