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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Vassy, located in the commune of Etaule (Yonne, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), is a building whose origins date back to the end of the 16th century, but profoundly redesigned at the end of the 19th century. Among its most authentic elements are a 17th century carved stone gate and a chapel built in 1700 on older foundations. This chapel, originally church of the village dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was erected by the Cromot family after their acquisition of the seigneury of Vassy and La Vaire in 1658. She wears the coats of arms of the Cromot and Saillans families, who are notable in local history.

The chapel of the Cromots, restored in the 20th century by Abbé Bernard Ferrand, incorporates remarkable heritage elements: a rose granite altar from the abbey of Pierre-qui-Vire (founded in 1850), and a cross from the Florimontan colony (1926). In 1997, the portal and chapel were listed as Historic Monuments, highlighting their architectural and historical value. In 2019, artist Marc Couturier added a gold cross and stained glass, modernizing his decor.

The castle itself, although transformed in the nineteenth century (notably by the addition of a massive wing around 1880), preserves traces of its seigneurial past. The Cromots, an influential family, left their mark, as evidenced by the coat of arms of Baron Jules-David Cromot du Bourg, Superintendent of Finance under Louis XVIII. The site remains a characteristic example of the architectural evolution of Burgundian castles, between medieval heritage and modern adaptations.

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