Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Vaux-sur-Poligny was founded in 1870 by the acquisition of a mill adjacent to the ancient Benedictine abbey of Vaux-sur-Poligny, transformed into a small seminary. The purchase was made jointly by Abbé Petit, superior of the seminary, and his niece, who soon married Louis Milcent, listener at the Council of State. The latter, inspired by the social ideas of the Marquis de La Tour du Pin and Count Albert de Mun, saw an opportunity to develop an ambitious agricultural and social project.

Between 1870 and the end of the 19th century, Louis Milcent had an imposing residence built on the foundations of the mill, entrusting the plans to the bisontin architect Ducat. The castle, perpendicular to the valley, was completed by a park designed by landscape architect Brice Michel, which enhanced the Glantine river with picturesque elements like an artificial waterfall. The estate also includes commons, a farm, and a funeral chapel on the southern slope, reflecting the ambition of a coherent and functional ensemble.

The Château de Vaux-sur-Poligny is distinguished by its harmonious integration into a remote Jurassian site, typical of the region. In 1884 Louis Milcent founded the agricultural union of the district of Poligny and in 1885 co-founded the first local agricultural credit union with Alfred Bouvet and the Marquis de Froissard. These initiatives illustrate his commitment to rural development, while making the area an emblematic place for social and architectural innovation at the time.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1998, the castle today retains its interior distribution and original decorations. Inscription in the inventory protects not only the house body, but also the funeral chapel, the facades of the outbuildings, the entrance gate, and the landscape, showing an exceptionally preserved and documented heritage.

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