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Origin and history

The Castle of Villars, located in Dompierre-en-Morvan (Côte d'Or), is a building of the 3rd quarter of the 18th century. It was built in 1767 by François de Chastenay, who made it a modest seigneurial residence. Ruined, he had to yield it in 1791 to Marie-Claude Champion, then mayor of Avallon. The estate knew several owners in the 19th century before being bought in 1921 by René de Burtel de Chassey. Its classic architecture, with a rectangular plan and a Mansart roof, reflects the cannons of the era.

Coming from the dismemberment of the seigneury of Courcelles-lès-Semur in the 15th century, the domain of Villars became autonomous at the end of the 17th century, when Marie-Jacqueline Desgeorges, wife of François Damoiseau, took possession of it. Sold several times in the 18th century, the castle was partially listed as historical monuments in 1979, especially for its facades, its wrought iron staircase and some interior decorations.

According to the 1823 cadastre, the castle had already lost some outbuildings, such as a piece of water and gardens. Today, it retains its original plan, with Mansart roof wings and a central pediment. The protected elements also include a fireplace on the first floor and decorated lounges, testimonies of his aristocratic past.

The castle is located in the hamlet of Villars-Dombes, on the west bank of RD 70, southeast of the village. Its history reflects the changes of the Burgundian provincial nobility, between ephemeral splendor and economic decline, marked by changes in owners and architectural adaptations over the centuries.

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