En un regard
Le château en bref
The Château de Bompré, a former fortified house of the 15th century remodelled in the 16th and 18th centuries, stands in the commune of Barberier, in the Allier, between the villages of Barberier and Bayet, south of Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule. The massive rectangular main building, with two storeys and an attic level, is flanked to the south-east by a circular tower topped with a conical roof and a hexagonal lantern. In the 18th century, the opening of basket-handle arched windows gave it the appearance of a manor house; the main façade, facing south, has seven irregular bays. The entrance vestibule is decorated with small square coffers covering the walls and the vault, and the staircase, dating from the third quarter of the 16th century, is comparable to that of the Château de Chareil-Cintrat. The estate first belonged to the Menudel and then the Mareschal families, who also held the lands of Barberier, before passing through marriage to the Revanger, Demastre and then Thoisy families; today it belongs to the Portejoie family. The Swiss painter Ricco Wassmer lived there from 1950 to 1963 and decorated one of the fireplaces with a painting inspired by Benozzo Gozzoli. The château has been listed (inscrit) as a historic monument since 21 August 1989, and was partially classified (classé) on 2 September 1994 (château, feudal motte, vestibule and staircase).
