Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Thoiriat stands on the town of Crêches-sur-Saône, in Saône-et-Loire, on the edge of the river Arlois. Its sober architecture consists of a body of rectangular houses covered with a hipped roof, framed by two wings in return of square. The facades, marked by front-body carved with arms of the Thy family, are decorated with a unique stone balcony. The commons, disparate, include a long building with broken roof pierced with skylights. Private property, the castle is not open to the visit.

The history of the estate dates back to a succession of lords between the 9th and 18th centuries. In 1749 Antoine-Alexandre de Thy, husband of Christine de La Fage, acquired the land. Their son, Philibert-Joseph de Thy, built in 1779 a new castle next to the old strong house, then in poor condition, probably under the direction of architect Jean-Pierre Caristie. Confiscated during the Revolution, the castle is sold as a national good. The turrets of the old strong house are partially dismantled before its permanent disappearance. The estate then passes into the hands of Philibert Vacher, then Jean-Pierre Canard, whose descendants still own it.

Historical sources mention two reference works: The surroundings of Mâcon (F. Perraud, 1912) and Inventory of Titles of the House of Milly (Oscar de Poli, 1888). These texts document the architectural and seigneurial evolution of the site, emphasizing its anchoring in the local heritage of Saône-et-Loire.

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