Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Joserand, located in the Puy-de-Dôme in Jozerand, finds its origins at the end of the 15th century under the impulse of the family of La Queuille, lords of the places from 1480 to 1545. This western wing, heavily redesigned in the 19th century, is accompanied by a north wing built in the 16th century by the Rochefort d'Ailly, heirs by marriage. The estate, surrounded by partially preserved medieval courtines, illustrates the architectural evolution between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, with an octagonal tower housing a spiral staircase, symbol of this stylistic transition.

Acquired in 1845 by Amédée de Chabrol-Tournoëlle, nephew of the prefect Gaspard de Chabrol, the castle underwent an ambitious restoration entrusted to Felix Duban, an architect renowned for his work at the Château de Blois. Between 1845 and 1860, Duban transformed the building into a neo-Renaissance style, removing obsolete structures to open the view of the Puys and Limagne plains, while integrating neo-Gothic and neo-classical decorative elements. The park, redesigned by Paul de Lavenne de Chulot, houses remains of the Ducal Palace of Riom, such as a gate and a balustrade, classified in 1970.

The feudal history of the castle dates back to the twelfth century, when Philippe Auguste offered the seigneury of Joserand to Guy II of Dampierre after the siege of Tournoël (1213). The estate then passed into the hands of large noble houses: Beaujeu (from 1221), Dreux, Ventadour, Giac, then La Queuille. In the 18th century, the family of Champfour became its owner before its transmission to the Chabrol-Tournoëlle, then by alliance to the Rohan-Chabot. Today, the castle, listed as a historic monument in 2002, preserves its period interior decorations, its brick commons, and its neo-classical orangery, testimonies of five centuries of history.

The site is distinguished by its entry gate in troubadour style, inspired by the romantic restorations of the 19th century, and by its octagonal tower in white limestone, contrasting with the ochre facades. The gardens, with a historic hydraulic system, are integrated into a landscape dominated by the reliefs of the Auvergnate Combraille. The castle, still owned by the descendants of Amédée de Chabrol-Tournoëlle, embodies both a preserved architectural heritage and a constant adaptation to the tastes of elites throughout the ages.

External links