Initial construction début XIVe siècle (≈ 1404)
Fortress built as a strategic place.
guerre de Cent Ans (XIVe-XVe siècles)
Repeated conflicts
Repeated conflicts guerre de Cent Ans (XIVe-XVe siècles) (≈ 1550)
Disputed between French, English, Armagnacs and Bourguignons.
27 novembre 1951
First protection
First protection 27 novembre 1951 (≈ 1951)
Partial registration for historical monuments.
16 janvier 2015
Total protection
Total protection 16 janvier 2015 (≈ 2015)
Registration of the entire domain (building and park).
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The estate of Villars, in total, built and not built including the medieval castle transformed into a farm, the team stable, the sheepfold, the Italian pavilion, the orangery, the garden, the park and its amenities, the cooler, the house of the keeper and its niche, located on plots n° 195, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 217, 218, 219, 229, 230, 428 and 452, appearing in the cadastre section E : inscription by order of 16 January 2015
Key figures
Jeanne d’Arc - Legendary figure
Would have stayed before Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier.
Henriette de Clèves - Duchess of Nevers
Owner by covenant in the 16th century.
Origin and history
Villars Castle, built in the early 14th century in Saint-Parize-le-Châtel (Nièvre), was a strategic fortress disputed during the Hundred Years War. French and English, then Armagnacs and Bourguignons, fought for his control. According to tradition, Joan of Arc would have stayed there before the liberation of Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier, although this anecdote is more a local legend.
The architecture of the castle includes six towers and an imposing wall of enclosure, characteristic of medieval fortresses. Over the centuries, amenities such as a Italian pavilion, a south-facing terrace and an orangery were added to make it a more comfortable residence. These transformations reflect the evolution of usage, from military defence to a residential and aesthetic function.
Several noble families succeeded as owners, including Henriette de Clèves, Duchess of Nevers, as well as the Dufour, Forestier and Bouler, acquiring the estate by alliances. The castle was partially protected as early as 1951, before a total inscription for historical monuments in 2015, covering the entire estate (building and park). This late protection underlines its heritage importance, despite successive transformations.
The location of the castle, in the Nièvre department, makes it a witness to regional conflicts during the Hundred Years War. Its proximity to Nevers, a strategic city, explains its role in fighting between rival factions. Today, the site illustrates both the Burgundian military heritage and the influence of later architectural styles, as attested by the Italian pavilion.
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