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Key figures

Origin and history

Tarperon Manor House is a modern castle located in Beaunotte, in the Côte-d'Or department, in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region. Built on the boundary of the communes of Beaunotte and Quemigny-sur-Seine, it is located on the 901 departmental road in the same hamlet of Tarperon. This mansion illustrates the civil architecture of the 18th and 19th centuries, a period of transition between the former regime and industrial revolution.

The castle was erected by a master of forges between the late 18th and early 19th centuries, reflecting the rise of metallurgical activities in the region. This type of construction demonstrates the economic power of local industrialists, often linked to the exploitation of natural resources such as iron ore or wood. The masters of forges, key actors of that time, often combined their role as entrepreneurs with social and political influence in their territory.

Until 2021, the mansion housed objects and paintings belonging to the privateer Jean Bart (1650-1702), transmitted by descendants. These pieces, sold at auction in Semur-en-Auxois, highlight an unexpected historical link between this Burgundy site and a maritime figure emblematic of the reign of Louis XIV. The architecture of the castle, marked by a round tower, evokes seigneurial residences, although its primary function remains related to the industrial activity of its owner.

The location of the manor house, near the Seine and in an area rich in forests, explains its association with forges, activities dependent on water and wood. This geographical context favoured the establishment of similar sites in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, a region where metallurgy played a major economic role until the 19th century.

Today, the Tarperon mansion is part of the heritage of the Côte-d'Or castles, although less known than the medieval or Renaissance buildings of the region. Its history reflects the social and economic changes of post-revolutionary France, where industrial aristocracy gradually replaces the Earth's nobility.

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