Château de Mareste

English translation

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History

In the 15th century, Chavannes was a fief of the family of that name, which held it from the dukes of Savoy. In the 16th century the fief passed by alliance to the de Mareste, who retained ownership to the present day. The buildings of the domain appear to go back to around 1610. It was a hunting pavilion with agricultural dependencies. As these buildings were never modernised, they are currently constituted as a very authentic ensemble of Bresse construction of the early 17th century in wood and brick. Sources: Revue de l'Ain n°63

Description

The buildings form a U-plan open to the north, low, built with oak frames filled with bricks, on rubble stone socles. The roofs are flat, in round tiles, except the main pavilion which has a steep roof in small tiles. Sometimes the brick is replaced by mortar or even woven osier work. The frames of the doors and windows are in wood. The main entrance is at the centre of the building, to the south; it is without vault, entirely in wood. The flat roofs are very projecting, most of the time without gutters. Bresse chimney in brick and ceiling with large exposed beams. The staircase which goes up to the pavilion has a Louis XIII turned ramp. Two Louis XV chimneys. The well is in bricks with large monolithic stone copings and built in oak with a four-slope roof. The pavilion and the east wing served as dwelling, the rest constituted the stables. Everything has remained in the old state.