Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Vauban, originally a 12th century fort house, was located in the hamlet of Vauban, on the town of Bazoches, in Morvan. The primary function of this building was to monitor the road between Vézelay and Lormes, an important axis in the Burgundy region. Its modest architecture reflected its local defensive role rather than a prestigious residential vocation.

In the 13th century, the fiefs of Champignolle Haut et Bas, associated with this stronghold, belonged to Jean de Saillenay. In 1284, one of these fiefs was sold to Jean de Bazoches, marking the beginning of a series of owner changes. Between 1403 and 1486, the estate returned to the House of Champignolle, with Guillaume de Champignolle as lord, before being seized for non-respect of feudal duties by Jean de Chastellux.

The family Le Prestre de Vauban played a key role in the history of the castle from the 16th century. In 1548 Emery Le Prestre, squire and chestnut of Bazoches, acquired the fief of Vauban and adopted the name Le Prestre de Vauban in 1558. His son Jacques, and then his grandson Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban (1633-1707), a famous military engineer, became prominent figures of the place. Sébastien, known for his fortifications, bought the land of Vauban in 1684 to integrate it into his possessions of Bazoches.

The castle was also marked by religious and family arrangements. In 1624 Paul I Le Prestre de Vauban built a chapel dedicated to Saint Catherine, as evidenced by a plaque discovered in 1858. The coat of arms of the family, "D'azur au chevron d'or, accompanied by three clovers and a silver crescent", and their motto "Belicae virtutis praemium", recall their military and seigneurial heritage.

The estate's outbuildings included the fiefs of Champignolle-Dessus and Champignolle-Dessous, as well as that of Epiry, inherited by Jeanne d'Osnay. These lands, separated or gathered over the centuries, illustrate the evolution of feudal possessions in Burgundy. The castle, though modest, was thus the scene of inheritances and matrimonial strategies typical of the local aristocracy.

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