Today, fortunately, the landscape remains unchanged. The house was extended with two wings, one to the east and one to the west, by Léon Geoffray at the end of the 19th century.
The Château de Vaulx de Chizeul is located on the border between Charolais and Brionnais. This castle, whose origins date back to the 14th century, was owned by the Choiseul family until 1435. The name "de Chizeul" is a corruption of the family name.
From 1471, the lords of Vaulx were the Damas, an important Burgundian family, one branch of which was named Damas de Vaux. The castle, its strongholds, hamlets, and adjoining lands remained the property of the Damas family until 1793, for more than three centuries.
The castle occupied a dominant position in the region. Its dimensions were imposing (91 meters by 29 meters) and it consisted of a square keep, a stately home, a granary and a prison which was used to serve the sentences imposed by the lord who had the right of justice on his lands.
The castle suffered during the Wars of Religion in the 16th century and in 1793, when it was sold as national property, the family having emigrated during the Revolution. Today, only a ruin remains, which was probably the prison.
200 meters from the old Château de Vaulx de Chizeul stands the current Château de Vaulx. It was the former residence of the principal officers and tax collectors of the Vaulx estate, that is, the administrators and trusted men of the lord. The role of the administrators was all the more important since the Damas family only resided briefly in Vaulx, being either in Paris or in the Château de Dyo, of which they were also lords.
Part of the current Château de Vaulx dates back to the 16th century, as evidenced by the stones dated 1563 on the façade. The castle was gradually modified and enlarged to achieve its current appearance.
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