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Origin and history

The castle of Vallerois-le-Bois, located in the department of Haute-Saône, is a castle whose origins date back to the 12th century. It was profoundly transformed in the 15th and 16th centuries, notably by the family of Vaudrey, who added Renaissance elements like a stair turret (1526) and commons with drawbridge. The site, privately owned, preserves medieval remains despite partial destruction during the Revolution and fires in the 19th century.

The seigneury of Vallerois originally belonged to the Cicon family (XII century), then passed to the Montrost in the 15th century. In 1426 Étienne de Montrost obtained the right to fortify the place under the duke of Burgundy, Philippe le Bon. In the 16th century, Florent de Vaudrey, heir to his mother Philippe de Fay, built the "Vaudrey district" and a turret bearing its inscription dated 1526. The dungeon and guard corps, built at the same time, complete this defensive ensemble.

At the Revolution, the castle was sold as a national asset after the emigration of Philippe Emmanuel de Salives to Switzerland. An anecdote relates the discovery of a message hidden in 1792, evoking a fortune buried near the chapel. Abandoned, the castle suffered collapses (throwings in 1920 and 1933) and a fire in 1822. Ranked a historic monument in 1964, it benefited from partial restorations from the 1960s and again since the 1990s by a private owner and a local association.

Today, the castle is visited by appointment or during summer openings. It includes a 16th century doorway, a courted bassyard, and a large courtyard with buildings transformed by the Vaudreys. The 15th century dungeon dominates the whole. The site, classified for its artistic character since 1913, illustrates the architectural evolution of a Burgundy seigneury over nearly five centuries.

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