Construction of a fortified building XVe siècle (≈ 1550)
In place of an old forge.
Fin XVIIe siècle
Reconstruction of the castle
Reconstruction of the castle Fin XVIIe siècle (≈ 1795)
Classic style on medieval terrace.
2e moitié XIXe siècle
Current Domain Configuration
Current Domain Configuration 2e moitié XIXe siècle (≈ 1865)
Firm, wash, mill integrated.
Début XIXe siècle
North façade changes
North façade changes Début XIXe siècle (≈ 1904)
Added towers and commons.
1940
Destruction of archives
Destruction of archives 1940 (≈ 1940)
During the German occupation.
16 juillet 2012
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 16 juillet 2012 (≈ 2012)
Protection of the entire field.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The estate, including the following: the castle; the western commons; the farm in the so-called Napoleonic cadastre; the dovecote; kennel; the house of the director; the beef; the mill; the park; the greenhouse; the wash; the soils of the plots of the estate; moat; earthworks; bridges; valves and weirs (cf. Villiers-Saint-Benoît H 255-258, 261, 262, 265-267, 318, 355, 357, 358-362, 368; Dracy A 235, 236, 603, cf. cadastral plans annexed to the decree): registration by order of 16 July 2012
Key figures
Information non disponible - No names cited in the sources
Archives destroyed in 1940.
Origin and history
The Bréau estate was originally built in the 15th century with a fortified building built on the site of an old forge. This first building was replaced at the end of the 17th century by a castle of classical style, erected on the terrace of the medieval structure. Major transformations took place at the beginning of the 19th century: the north facade was doubled, and two towers were added to the ends, reusing medieval foundations. Commons in return then complete the whole.
During the second half of the 19th century, the estate took its current configuration, incorporating a farm, a washhouse, a mill and other functional elements. These developments reflect the typical organisation of a rural Burgundy property of the time. In 1940, the German occupation led to the destruction of the estate's archives, erasing part of its documentary history.
The site has now been protected under Historic Monuments since 2012. The decree of inscription covers not only the castle and its communes, but also agricultural elements (farm, mill, bief), landscape structures (park, greenhouse, washbasin) and hydraulic (doves, valves). These protections highlight the heritage value of a coherent ensemble, a witness to architectural and social developments between the Middle Ages and the 19th century.
