Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Chaumont is a bourgeois residence built in 1886 on horseback in the communes of Mainsat and La Serre-Bussière-Veille, in the department of Creuse (Nouvelle-Aquitaine). Its architecture, inspired by the Louis XIII style, is distinguished by a central three-storey body flanked by two wings, with details in cut stone and red brick. The gardens, built by horticulturalists from Clermont-Ferrand, reflected the splendor of his time.

The castle is intimately linked to opera singer Eugénie Bardet (1864-1943), from Mainsat, who led a worldly life there for a decade. After financial setbacks, she sold part of her property in 1913. The castle then became a refuge for Jewish children during the Second World War, under the aegis of the Children's Relief Work (OSE), led by Lotte Schwarz and Louis Aron.

In 1986, a fire completely ravaged the castle, leaving an abandoned ruin until 2022. That year, British entrepreneur Daniel Preston acquired the property and undertook his restoration, documenting the work on his YouTube channel Escape to rural France. The castle, symbol of resistance and local heritage, is gradually reborn thanks to this initiative.

Before the fire, the castle was also a jewelry workshop in the 1970s, held by Jean-François Mironnet, former valet of Coco Chanel. After several changes of owners, including Patrick Surget in 2014, the castle was put on sale in 2017 before being bought by Preston. A commemorative stele today recalls the rescue of Jewish children between 1940 and 1942.

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