Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house of Champagne, located in Paizay-le-Sec, finds its origins in a medieval building profoundly renovated in the seventeenth century. The dates of 1678 and 1690, engraved on the house, mark major transformation phases. Originally, the mansion was surrounded by four farmhouses and buildings forming a first courtyard, now missing. A common wing, shot down around 1963, once completed the court of honor.

The architect Pierre Baillargé intervened in 1781 to renovate the estate, adding a classic touch to the existing structure. The current house occupies a part of the south wing and incorporates a dovecote attached to its eastern gable. Its interior is organized around a crossing entrance with staircase to the north, leading to an octagonal living room and rooms preserving elements from the 15th, 18th and 19th centuries. The rooms, distributed upstairs by a corridor, reflect this historical stratification.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 2007 for its facades and roofs, the Champagne house is now a private property. Its history illustrates the evolution of a seigneurial estate into a hybrid architectural ensemble, mixing medieval remains, 17th century modifications and 18th century beautifications. The traces of the old farmhouses and courtyards recall its central role in the local agricultural organisation.

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