Home extension 1845 (≈ 1845)
Double in depth of the existing building.
1890-1892
Major restructuring
Major restructuring 1890-1892 (≈ 1891)
Add classic dining room and neo-Norman wing.
8 avril 2008
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 8 avril 2008 (≈ 2008)
Protection of the castle, farms and parks.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The entire castle, including the dining room building and the New Normandy wing; facades and roofs of all buildings on the farm; the whole park (small by this large park) with its constituent elements, including the two carved groups of the small park (cad. Essay B 37, placed Le Pré des Sapins, 41, placed La Grande Coin, 42, placed Château de Beaufossé, 43, placed La Filasse, 44, placed L'avant-Court, 47 et 151, placed Beaufossé, 48, placed Pré du Pont d'Avet, 49 et 50, placed Les Bissons, 53 et 55, placed Les Petits Bissons, 56, placed Le Champ du Pont d'Avet, 57 et 58, placed Le Pont d'Avet, 59, placed La Grande Coin ; Boitron C 614, lieudit Beaufossé): registration by order of 8 April 2008
Key figures
Nicolas - Architect
Directs the 19th century transformations.
Henri Duchêne - Landscape
Designs the park and the water room.
Achille Duchêne - Landscape
Collaborate in the restructuring of the gardens.
Origin and history
The Beaufossé estate, located in the communes of Essay and Boitron, has its origins in a mid-19th century dwelling, probably accompanied by a park and outbuildings. In 1845, extension works transformed the house, doubled in depth, marking a first campaign of major changes. These developments prepare the ground for a second phase of restructuring, carried out between 1890 and 1892, where the castle adopts a hybrid style, combining classicism and neo-norman.
The restructuring of the house is accompanied by the creation of agricultural buildings, under the direction of architect Nicolas. At the same time, landscapers Henri and Achille Duchêne redesigned the park, introducing a floor in front of the facade, a bolter, and a piece of horse iron water surrounding a plant massif. The park is fully leveled to offer a downward perspective from the castle, illustrating the importance attached to the harmony between architecture and nature at that time.
The estate, classified as Historical Monument in 2008, now protects the entire castle (including the dining room and the New Normandy wing), the facades of agricultural buildings, as well as the two parks with their decorative elements, such as carved groups. This ranking underscores the heritage value of an ensemble where architecture, landscape and rural history intertwined, reflecting the aesthetic and social evolutions of the second half of the 19th century in Normandy.
