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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house of the Bailiwick, also called Castel Franc, is an emblematic building of Vichy, the oldest part of which dates back to 1482. The only vestige of the old castle of the city, it was rebuilt in the 19th century. Its tower, home to a stone staircase, has been listed as a historic monument since 1926. Located in the Old Vichy district, it overlooks Kennedy Park and has a French-style garden.

The building derives its name from its historic location, where the house of the bailli, the seigneurial representative responsible for administrative and judicial affairs, was once located. Built in 1531 by Antoine Gravier, a communalist priest, he suffered degradations in 1590 during the passage of the Ligueurs. Several times, notably in the 17th century by the Loyseau de la Vesvre family, it was sold in 1786 to Gabriel Viguier, a royal notary.

In the 19th century, the house briefly served as a town hall before being bought and restored by the Gravier family, who discovered Romanesque elements such as arch windows and murderers. In 1928, the Vichy Farm Company made it a museum with various collections, including objects related to Madame de Sévigné and Napoleon III. After several changes of ownership, it was acquired in 2019 to become a polycultural centre.

Ranked for its spiral staircase and rich history, the building embodies Vichy's architectural and social transformations, from religious wars to contemporary times. Its garden and location make it an emblematic place of local heritage, between medieval memory and modern reuse.

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