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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Bissy-sur-Fley Castle, also known as Tyard Castle, is a medieval building located in Saône-et-Loire, in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region. Built between the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century, it is distinguished by its elongated rectangular enclosure, its carriage doors at the ends, and a house flanked by four towers of various shapes (square, circular, barlong). This castle, still privately owned, has been listed as a historical monument since 1932 and was awarded the Maison des illustries label in 2015 for its link with Pontus de Tyard, emblematic poet of the Pleiade.

The history of the castle is intimately linked to the Tyard family. As early as 1350, the estate entered into this line through the marriage of Claude de Tyard with Françoise de Bissy. In the 15th century, Étienne de Tyard, then his son Jean, lieutenant general at the bailliage of Mâcon, became his lords. In 1521 Pontus de Tyard, a future poet of the Pleiade, was born, inheriting the castle in the middle of the 16th century. After his death in 1605, the estate passed to his nephews, before being transformed into a farm in the 19th century. Its restoration began in the 20th century, thanks in particular to Madame de la Poix de Fréminville (from 1951) and to the Renaissance association of the Château Pontus de Tyard (created in 2001).

Architecturally, the castle retains defensive and residential elements characteristic of the transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The south gate, flanked by a square tower, and the staircase tower on the façade illustrate this duality. Although private, the site is visited, offering a tangible testimony of local and literary history. Its inscription in historical monuments and its label House of illustrious highlight its heritage importance, linked to both its architecture and the memory of Pontus de Tyard, a major figure of the French Renaissance.

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