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Origin and history

The Château de Vougy is a 17th-century building built between 1736 and 1748 by Jean-Marie Michon de la Farge from a strong pre-existing house. Located on horseback in the communes of Vougy and Pouilly-sous-Charlieu (Loire, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), it embodies the classical architecture of the Louis XV period, with harmonious facades and a landscaped park composed of aisles, pieces of water and groves. The estate, classified as a historic monument in 1980 and partially registered in 1997, retained its original environment thanks to a major restoration at the end of the 19th century by Count Michon de Vougy.

Jean-Marie Michon de la Farge, squire of the king and wounded at the battle of Ettinghen (1743), acquired the seigneury of Vougy and erected this castle there. His son, Jean-Louis, became master of camp and obtained the title of Count of Vougy by Louis XV, thus expanding the family lands (Aillant, Bonvert, Pouilly, etc.). The lineage passed away with Jean-Étienne, last count, deputy and mayor of Vougy for 50 years, who died without a direct heir in 1885. The castle then passed to his nephew Jules de Chevelard, then to his daughter, Mme. de Courcel, before belonging today to the families Chodron de Courcel and Garnier des Garets.

Inside the castle houses remarkable rooms such as the vestibule, adorned with an equestrian portrait of Henry IV and an ancient marble sarcophagus, or the tapestry salon, typical of the 1880s. The communes, including orangery, stables and cellars, as well as the park and its canal, are protected as historical monuments. The estate thus illustrates the architectural and historical heritage of a noble family linked to the military and political history of France.

The initial construction (1736–48) turned a strong house into a seigneurial residence, reflecting the prestige of the Michon de la Farge. The restoration of the late 19th century, led by Count Michon de Vougy, preserves the spirit of the 18th century, while modernising parts. The 1980 classification and 1997 listing highlight the heritage value of the site, both for its architecture and for its park, as a witness to French-style gardens and landscape developments in the Enlightenment.

The castle of Vougy, by its history and successive owners, offers a significant example of the aristocratic residences of the Loire. Its park, commons and richly decorated interiors make it an emblematic place of the Liguria heritage, open to visit and still inhabited by the descendants of noble families who shaped it.

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