Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The House of Fésigny, located in Cruseilles in Haute-Savoie, is an emblematic building of the 15th and 16th centuries, marked by a composite facade reflecting different periods of construction. The lower part, in large white stone apparatus, contrasts with sections in molasses and bellows, while two coats of arms remind its historical owners: the Du Crest de Cruseilles (first owners, "red-mouthed to the golden band loaded with three crescents d-azur"), partially erased, and the Cohendier, noble family of the Faucigny, affixed after a marriage in 1461. The ginned windows and the rotating staircase carved in stone illustrate the craft of the era.

Transformed in the 18th century, the house lost its exclusive residential function to mixed use: the upper part became a barn, while the lower floors remained inhabited. This dual use persists in the 19th and 20th centuries, thus preserving the medieval alignment of the central-bourg facades. The house changed hands frequently: from the Chastel de Cruseilles (17th century) to the family of Fésigny (Restauration), it was sold in 1852 to a farmer, Lazare Bouchet, before reaching the Fournier in the 20th century. A wing is then profoundly reshaped, and the back, old, is shaved.

The twentieth century marked a turning point with major alterations: in 1949, the tower was demolished to enlarge the courtyard of the nearby school. Despite these losses, the street façade, classified in 2014, was restored between 2018 and 2019. This monument today embodies both the Savoyard architectural heritage and the social changes of a rural village, from medieval times to contemporary times.

The coat of arms and gothic elements (buttress, braided windows) bear witness to the original prestige of the house, linked to the local aristocracy. The Du Crest, then the Cohendier by alliance, make it a symbol of power before its gradual decline in utility building. Registration for the Historic Monuments in 2014 is a reflection of its heritage value, despite the transformations.

Its exact address, 33 rue du Corbet, and its Insee code (74096) anchor in the landscape of Cruseilles, commune of Haute-Savoie. The accuracy of its location is considered satisfactory (level 6/10), and its history is documented by cross sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum).

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