Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Curaize, located in Precious, finds its origins in a strong house attested from the twelfth century. In 1173 Guy II de Forez offered the farmhouse of Curraize to Étienne de la Coste, who built a mill there, ancestor of the present starch factory transformed into an entrance building. The lords succeeded each other: the Du Cros (14th century), the Lavieu (1440), and the Levis (1535), who became the Levis-Couzan in 1663. In 1697 François Goulard of the Landes acquired the estate, which his family retained until 1864. Changes in the 18th century, such as the development of a pleasant garden, precede its major transformation.

In the 19th century, Pierre-Céphas Rimaud and Émile Alamagny (founder of the Oriol and Alamagny factory) radically modernized the house. Alamagny converted the old strong house, to the remains of the 14th–15th centuries, into a late Gothic neo castle, with an austere facade decorated with family coats of arms. It adds commons in L, an octagonal kennel, and interior rearrangement in a neo-Gothic style between the late 19th and early 20th century. The medieval chapel, located above the entrance, is transformed into a bathroom. The architect Louis Rogniat oversees this work, including a gallery on the southern facade and utility elements such as a castle d ́eau.

The estate, registered as a Historical Monument in 2019, retains an almost intact period furniture. After its sale in 1950, no major changes occurred until its recent acquisition for restoration. The communes, intended for specific rentals and activities, complete an architectural complex marked by its eclectic character: neo-Gothic north facade, back facade with varied inspirations, and a regular 18th century garden with its pleasure pavilions. The historic hydraulic system (bief, pumps, valves) and the walled enclosures testify to its functional evolution since the Middle Ages.

External links