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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Douzon Castle, located in Étroussat in the Allier, consists of two distinct parts: the remains of a 14th century castle, of which remains a square dungeon typical of bourbonese military architecture, and an 18th century home. The latter was built after a fire in 1723 by architect Clément, commissioned by François du Buysson, Count of Dozon. The new castle, in classic style, includes a rectangular two-storey house body, a broken roof of egg-eyes, and two wings in return with Mansart attices. Three rooms preserve unfinished 18th century decorations.

The seigneury of Douzon, originally owned by the family of Avenières in the 14th century, passed successively to the Châteauneuf, Rochedragon, then to the Chaussecourte by matrimonial alliances. In the 17th century, it was acquired by the Arfeuilles, then by the Buysson, including Philibert, the mayor of Moulins, and his son François, the king's Musketeer, who had the present castle erected. In 1789 Philibert du Buysson, deputy of the nobility, resigned from the general states and was guillotined in 1793 during the Revolution.

Ranked a historic monument in 1973, the estate also includes a medieval round tower and protected elements such as facades, roofs, and a wrought iron staircase. Sold in 1774 to the Girard family, then in 1803 to Jacques-Marie-Pierre Loisel – the future mayor of Étroussat and noble anobli in 1815 – the property remains today in the hands of his descendants. The vestiges of the ancient French-style parter are reminiscent of its aristocratic past.

The castle illustrates the architectural and social evolution of Bourbonnais, from medieval fortresses to seigneurial residences of the Enlightenment, marked by revolutionary upheavals. Its dungeon, symbol of feudal power, contrasts with the classic home, a witness to the ambitions of a provincial nobility close to the court. The preservation of unfinished decorations and defensive elements makes it a rare example of transition between two epochs.

The history of the castle is also that of its owners, whose alliances and functions (officers, mayors, deputies) reflect the integration of the Bourbon nobility into the networks of royal and then revolutionary power. Philibert du Buysson's conviction in 1793, like that of other local notables, marked the violent end of the Old Regime in the region. The 1973 classification preserved this heritage, which is still inhabited by the heirs of the Loisel family of Dozon.

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