First written entry 1591 (≈ 1591)
Castle quoted in archives.
2e moitié XVe – 1ère moitié XVIe siècle
Construction of the castle
Construction of the castle 2e moitié XVe – 1ère moitié XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Period of building the strong house.
1770
First known sale
First known sale 1770 (≈ 1770)
Change of registered owner.
1821
Acquisition by the Ladies of Instruction
Acquisition by the Ladies of Instruction 1821 (≈ 1821)
Transformation into a school for young girls.
1904
End of the appellation 'Chateau des Dames'
End of the appellation 'Chateau des Dames' 1904 (≈ 1904)
Change of educational vocation.
21 août 1989
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 21 août 1989 (≈ 1989)
Protection of facades and fireplace.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Facades and roofs; First floor room with monumental fireplace (Box AB 258): inscription by order of 21 August 1989
Key figures
Information non disponible - No historical character cited
Sources don't mention any names.
Origin and history
The Château de Verchères, located in Grazac in Haute-Loire, is a strong house built between the second half of the 15th century and the first half of the 16th century. Typical of the buildings linked to the Wars of Religion, it is distinguished by its body of square houses and a circular staircase tower with three-quarters hors-oeuvres. The south facade, adorned with an armorized tympanum door and loosely-chambranated windows, bears witness to its defensive and residential character. A convex breech, backed by the tower, reinforces the protection of the entrance, while a room on the first floor retains a monumental stone fireplace, with ground right feet.
Mentioned for the first time in 1591, the castle changed its vocation over the centuries. Sold in 1770, then acquired in 1821 by the Demoiselles de l'Instruction, it houses a school for young girls with classes and dormitories, becoming the "Château des Dames" until 1904. From 1904 to 1929, there remained a school before being transformed into a parish hall. Between 1935 and 1962, he periodically hosted parish holiday colonies. Its partial inscription to historical monuments in 1989 protects its facades, roofs and the room with its fireplace.
The building reflects the social and religious evolution of the Haute-Loire, from a defensive function to an educational and community role. Its architecture, marked by military elements (breek, rare drills) and residential elements (monumental fireplace), illustrates the duality of the strong houses of this period. The re-use of the castle as a place of teaching and reception underlines its anchoring in local life, far beyond its original vocation.
