Château de Vesancy

English translation

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History

Built in the 15th century on older remains, the château de Vesancy was transformed and enlarged several times, notably in the 17th century. At the Revolution it was the property of the La Forest family, and was sold in several lots. The commune acquired the main part, then the north wing. The château currently houses the town hall and village school, as well as a private residence. Sources: Galiffe, Jacques Augustin. Notices Généalogiques sur les Familles Genevoises, Depuis les Premiers Temps, Jusqu'À Nos Jours. 1908. Reprint in London: Forgotten Books, 2013. Jules Baux (1806-1890), Nobiliaire du département de l'Ain (17th and 18th centuries). Publisher F. Martin-Bottier in Bourg en Bresse, 1862-1864. M. Béatrix, Histoire du pays de Gex. Publisher Dumoulin et Ronet in Lyon, 1851. Brossard, Joseph-Philibert (1846-1897), Notice sur l'organisation territoriale et l'administration religieuse, militaire, judiciaire, financière et provinciale des anciennes provinces de Bresse, du Bugey, de la Dombes et du pays de Gex sous l'ancienne monarchie (circa 1765). Printer Authier et Barbier in Bourg-en-Bresse, 1881. Reverend Edmond Du Mesnil, (1832-1895), Armorial historique de Bresse, Bugey, Dombes, Pays de Gex, Valromey et Franc-Lyonnais, d'après les travaux de Guichenon, d'Hozier... les archives et les manuscrits, etc. with Critical Remarks by Pl. Collet.

Description

The château, installed on a mound at the centre of the village, is probably built on older foundations and has developed around a central core. Currently, the plan forms a main rectangle with a return wing to the north, also of rectangular plan. At the west corner of the château is found a round tower; another round tower houses a spiral staircase, this tower projects from the centre of the east-south-east façade. The lower part of an old tower is still visible on the north face of the north wing. These three towers are from a 15th-century building campaign as evidenced by the form of the gun loops still in place, the low masonry work and the volume, identical for each of them. The old main dwelling of the château constituting the principal body rises over three levels plus the roof space; the return wing which housed outbuildings and dormitories (at the time of the resale of national properties, old dwelling of the Pitegny family), rises over two levels plus the roof space. The buildings are set on a base which serves as a damp-proof course. The plan indicates that the château developed from a central keep which occupied the central part of the present dwelling. An extension came to fill the south part of this dwelling and this extension is accessible from inside the building. The north wing, which is also later than the central keep, according to archival studies, as it would have been built in the 15th century, constituted the upper part of the house of the Pitegny family. This wing was extended in turn in its northern part in the 17th or 18th century. A door surrounded by two round towers and equipped with a drawbridge was located about thirty metres south of the château, thus closing the small fortified complex. Nevertheless it is difficult to locate the curtain wall and ditches today disappeared. On the other side of the street and the location of the old door were terraced gardens belonging to the château, as well as a chapel now also disappeared.