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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Monay Castle, located in Saint-Eusèbe in Saône-et-Loire, is a 17th and 18th century reconstruction on the remains of a 13th century castle, some of which still remain. It was partially classified as a historical monument in 1993 for its facades, roofs and staircases. The site, surrounded by partially preserved ditches, preserves a square tower and two bodies of square buildings, witness to its medieval past.

The seigneury of Monay, originally linked to the fief of Gratoux, was given in 1311 by Hugues V of Burgundy to Girard de Châteauneuf, first known lord. In the 14th century, the castle was occupied by the Big Companies before being bought by the Duke of Burgundy. By successive alliances, the seigneury passed to the families of Torcy (from 1503), Damascus of Antigny (17th century), then La Magdeleine of Ragny, before being sold in 1763 to the widow of a president of the presidial of Autun.

After the Revolution, the castle changed hands several times: acquired in 1805 by the Duréault family, it passed in 1876 to the Lorenchet de Montjamont, the remaining owners until at least 1985. The medieval drawbridge was replaced by a stone bridge, and the interiors, with French ceilings, reflect the restorations of the 17th and 18th centuries. The chapel, transformed into a workshop, and the spacious cellars testify to its functional evolution.

Today private property, the castle is only visited upon request. Its architecture combines medieval defensive elements (shaped, square tower) and classical arrangements, illustrating the transformations of a Burgundy seigneury over nearly five centuries. The archives also mention its role in local dynamics, notably through the marriage alliances of its lords.

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