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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The villa of Chatet replaces an 18th century castle, built for the Dufraisse family of Cheix, local lords. In 1741, Marie Anne Gilberte Boutet married Amable Dufraisse du Cheix, who became lord of Chatet. Their son, Gilbert, had a detailed plan of the estate drawn up in 1781, revealing an elongated castle, French gardens, and outbuildings organized around a court of honor. At the Revolution, the family emigrated, and the property was bought by Louis Mercier. Between 1810 and 1815, the old castle was demolished, leaving only the commons and a dovecote.

Around 1815 Louis François Hippolyte Sambuce and his wife, born Bouarne, sponsored the construction of the present villa, probably inspired by the neo-classical projects of Claude François Attiret or architect Degeorge. A 1/10th precise model, preserved on site, suggests a more ambitious initial project, with lateral wings never realized. The villa, isolated and unbalanced, has luxurious finishes: wooden stairs, marquetry signed by the SB monogram (Sambucy-Bouarne), and an adorned ironwork. The gardens, redesigned in 1925 by landscape architect Treyve, complete this area marked by successive transformations.

Chatet's estate was medieval in 1425, when the fief depended on Verneuil's chestnut. A first castle, built for Huguelin Girard, precedes the Dufraisse du Cheix. In 1868, the property was left to the Degeorge family, which partially redecorated the interiors (stukes, chimneys). Classified as a Historical Monument in 2019, the villa now includes the house with its decorations, the commons, the entrance gate and the delimited garden.

The architecture of the villa is distinguished by its eclectic character: a high and narrow central body, noble materials, and riomoise influences. The dovecote, formerly adjacent to the 18th century castle, remains west of the estate. The wooded aisles, inherited from the 1781 plan, still structure the park, while the French-style parterres gave way to 20th century landscape developments. The SB monogram and the letter B in marquetry recall the legacy of the Sambucy-Bouarne sponsors.

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