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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Cypierre Castle, located in the municipality of Volesvres in Saône-et-Loire, has dominated a hill since the Middle Ages. Its present structure is the result of several epochs: a 12th century dungeon (partly preserved), a 14th century corner turret with spiral staircase, an 18th century house body, and an 1823 wing damaged in 1944. A chapel built back in 1901 and outbuildings of the 19th century, including a dovecote of 1831, complete the whole. Only the dungeon and a steep turret today recall its original defensive system.

The history of the castle is marked by alliances and successive transmissions. From 1103, a member of the family of Cypierre, J. de Cypierre, gave up land to the Priory of Marcigny. In 1262 Guillaume de Cypierre had a strong house held in the duke's fief. In the 16th century, the seigneury passed to the Marcilly by marriage: Pierre de Marcilly (early 16th) then his son Philibert, baili d'Autun and governor of the future Charles IX, enlarged the estate. After the extinction of the Marcillys in 1628, the castle changed hands several times (Legoux de La Berchère in 1628, Jean Boyveau in 1639), before being acquired by the Perrins of Cyprus in 1720.

The Perrin de Cypierre retained the estate until the mid-19th century, with notable unions: in 1849, Marguerite Perrin married a son of General Caulaincourt, and then a granddaughter allied to the Kergorlays. By marriage, the castle today belongs to the family of Bastard. Ranked Historic Monument in 1985 for its facades, roofs and defensive elements, there remains a private property not open to the public.

The architecture reflects the successive adaptations of the site. The medieval dungeon, defensive heart, contrasts with Renaissance and classical additions, illustrating the evolution of residential and symbolic needs. The 19th century chapel and agricultural outbuildings (courtyard, gate, dovecote) bear witness to its anchoring in local life, between seigneurial function and rural exploitation. The damage of 1944, linked to guerrillas, recalls its role during the Second World War.

The strategic location of Cypierre, near Charolles and Paray-le-Monial, makes it a historic checkpoint in the Brionnais. The marriage alliances (Marcilly, Perrin, Kergorlay) reveal its importance in Burgundy's nobiliary networks, while architectural transformations (tourelle, house, chapel) highlight social and aesthetic changes over six centuries.

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