First mention of the Couzan family 1202 (≈ 1202)
Local noble family extinguished in the 15th century.
1435
Reconstruction of the castle
Reconstruction of the castle 1435 (≈ 1435)
Medieval square tower built on a rock.
1702
Historical description of the castle
Historical description of the castle 1702 (≈ 1702)
Tower + two houses + chapel.
1856
First renovation in the 19th century
First renovation in the 19th century 1856 (≈ 1856)
Works before the reconstruction of 1896.
1896
Reconstruction by the Vaublanc
Reconstruction by the Vaublanc 1896 (≈ 1896)
Conservation of the tower, neogothic style.
25 novembre 1994
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 25 novembre 1994 (≈ 1994)
Protection of the castle and its decor.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Castle, including the following rooms with their decoration: large staircase and vestibules, ground floor room, chapel, large and small living room, dining room, library (Box ZD 34): inscription by decree of 25 November 1994
Key figures
Edmé de Vaublanc - Architect assigned
Author of the 1896 plans.
Famille de Vaublanc - 19th Century Owners
Reconstruction sponsors.
Famille de Couzan - Former seigneurial lineage
Mentioned in 1202, turned off.
Origin and history
Couzan Castle, located in Vebret in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, is a monument dating back to the 15th century. It was reconstructed in 1435 after a period of ruins, and then profoundly redesigned in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1896, the family of Vaublanc, owner of the site, undertook a partial reconstruction by keeping the medieval tower of origin, according to plans attributed to Edmé de Vaublanc, Burgundian architect. This castle thus illustrates a superposition of epochs, combining medieval defensive remains and neo-Gothic residential additions.
The 15th century square tower, built on a rock, is the medieval heart of the castle. It consists of a ground floor serving as a cellar, three square floors, and a top corresponding to an old defence floor. In the 19th century, the castle was enlarged with wings, round towers, and a neo-Gothic house, all in trachyte, a local volcanic stone. The various roofs (pans, rumps, conical roofs) and outbuildings (washing, orangery, loggery) testify to its evolution into aristocratic residence.
Inside, the 19th century décor is distinguished by woodwork, a monumental wrought iron staircase, and neo-Gothic fireplaces. The castle, which was listed as a historical monument in 1994, also retains elements such as a chapel integrated into a southwest tower and related buildings dated the 18th and 19th centuries. Its history reflects the architectural and social transformations of a medieval seigneury into a modern residential estate, marked by the influence of successive owners, including the family of Vaublanc.
A noble family bearing the name Couzan is attested as early as 1202, but extinguished in the 15th century. The castle, described in 1702 as composed of a square tower and two houses connected by a chapel, underwent two renovation campaigns in the nineteenth century (1856 and 1896). This work, led by Edmé de Vaublanc, the owner's cousin, preserves the medieval structure while adapting to the tastes of the time. The outbuildings, such as a wash-house, an orange shop, or a barn- barn before 1827, complete this estate that combines historical heritage and landscape developments.
