Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château du Préau was built at the end of the 15th century by Jean Lallemand, son of Guillaume Lallemand, then receiver general of Normandy. This fortified mansion, with defensive turrets and a square enclosure, reflected the military architecture of the time while integrating residential elements. The round casturin embrasures on the corners of the west facade bear witness to its initial vocation of protection, while the courtyard was once closed by a drawbridge pavilion surmounted by a watchroom, now extinct.

In 1645, Étienne de Chabenat, king's adviser and secretary, and treasurer general of France at Grenoble, acquired the estate and began its transformation into a house of pleasure. The blankets were redone in 1646, marking a transition to a more residential and less defensive style. The two-winged house body, however, retains traces of its medieval past, such as the remains of the square enclosure. The castle would also have served as a residence for the lords of Savigny, although this occupation remained less documented.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the drawbridge entrance pavilion was destroyed, partially altering the original configuration of the court. Despite these modifications, the castle retains significant architectural elements from the 15th, 17th and 18th centuries, as evidenced by the facades and roofs protected by a decree of inscription in 1962. Today, the site embodies both a medieval defensive heritage and an evolution towards the residential comfort of modern times.

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