Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Villers-la-Faye, located in the department of the Côte-d The site stands on the hillside of Mont Saint-Victor, south-east of the village, connected by a road bordered by a hamlet from the former lower yard. Its buildings, organized around a square courtyard, incorporate defensive elements such as a round tower, archer-canonners and the remains of a drawbridge. The facades, roofs, a wooden gallery and a well have been classified as historical monuments since 1925.

The history of the castle is marked by conflicts and reconstructions. As early as 1370, Étienne de Villers was named lord of the place. In 1546 Jean de Damascus sold part of the seigneury to Sébastien de Villers, revealing a legal dispute with the king's officers concerning the fief. In 1594, the Sieur de Vaulsey tried unsuccessfully to invest the house. Between 1617 and 1625, important works were undertaken: construction of a wall, covering the lantern of the courtyard, repair of the barn and reconstruction of the drawbridge. The chapel Saint-Rémy, founded in 1630 by François de Villers and Jacqueline de Pontailler, as well as the destruction of the Guépet tower, complete the major transformations. In the 19th century, only ruins remained.

Architecturally, the castle combines defensive and residential functions. The square courtyard, which is accessible by a porch overhanged by a stretcher, includes a house body decorated with a braided door and cross-sections. A round tower, still visible, dominates the southwest corner, while a peg tower once linked the road to the lower courtyard. The surrounding terraces, once surrounded by ditches, highlight its strategic location. The protected elements — facades, wooden gallery and wells — illustrate the heritage importance of the site, despite the partial disappearance of its original structures.

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