Château de Curaize

English translation

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History

The fortified house of Curraize has been known since the 12th century, research by the Inventory service mentions a gift dated 1173 where Guy II of Forez gave the 'mas' of Curraize to Etienne de la Coste. The latter built a mill there which evolved with the château, becoming the entrance building also corresponding to a former starch factory. In the 14th century, the lords of Curraize are the Du Cros. In 1440 the Lavieu resumed ownership, then the Levis around 1535 who would become through marriage the Levis-Couzan in 1663. In 1697, a sale was made to the benefit of François Goulard des Landes whose family remained owners until 1864. The dates recorded bear witness to some modifications in the second half of the 18th century, certainly linked to the laying out of an ornamental garden. At that date, Pierre-Céphas Rimaud became owner, then in 1872 Emile Alamagny, founder of the Oriol and Alamagny lace factory at Saint-Chamond. It was probably he who transformed the old fortified house with the attributes of the 14th and 15th centuries that can still be seen in a painting in the drawing room into a modern building. The presence of a chapel, located above the entrance passage, is attested in the 19th century, but it can be supposed that this arrangement was already in place in the medieval period; it was transformed by d'Alamagny into a bathroom. The fortified house was therefore largely rebuilt and enlarged in the last quarter of the 19th century, a very fine gallery occupies the courtyard façade of the southern building. The outbuildings were also enlarged, elements added such as the water tower, the kennels. These major modifications were accompanied by complete furnishings which have remained almost intact in the residence. The whole was sold in 1950 but has not undergone any further major architectural modifications. The current owner has just acquired it to restore it and use the outbuildings for rentals and occasional activities.

Description

Curraize château is accessible from an avenue of honour which first leads to the building of the former starch factory, from the entrance gate the path then leads to a vast esplanade where there is a kennel with a central octagonal building surrounded by small individual enclosures. The avenue continues to the courtyard of honour which is framed by two large outbuildings, the east and west buildings which are L-shaped. The west building masks the building of the old pigeon house, it also houses two vaulted rooms which serve as stables and tack room. These buildings rearranged in the 19th century are dilapidated inside but still shelter the vehicles of the d'Alamany family and 19th century fireplaces, also noteworthy on the ground floor of the east building, a monumental fireplace from the 15th century. Curraize château was built around an initial fortified house revealing a main north façade, austere in a late neo-gothic style, a decorative cartouche containing the coats of arms of successive families who owned Curraize decorates the centre of this façade. A small guard building on one level comes to embellish the composition. Behind the main façade is a U-shaped dwelling. The roofing is covered with slate. The rear façade is also very sober and is executed in an eclectic style with strong neo-gothic inspirations. In the eastern part there is a formal garden inherited from the 18th century with its two garden pavilions. The interior of the château was entirely refitted between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century in a neo-gothic style