Château de Segange

En un regard

Le château en bref

The Château de Segange stands in the commune of Avermes, in the Allier department. Built in the 15th and 16th centuries, it was erected for Nicolas Petitdé, treasurer to John II, Duke of Bourbon. Queen Anne of Brittany stayed there in 1495. Around 1670 the estate belonged to Hyacinthe de Bianki, of Polish origin, before passing by marriage to the du Broc family, which then adopted the name “du Broc de Segange”. The château suffered destruction and mutilation during the French Revolution; Guillaume Antoine du Broc de Segange was arrested and died in prison in Moulins during the Terror. His descendant Jean Charles du Broc (1769–1840), an officer in the royalist armies, served as mayor of Avermes from 1807 to 1817. His own descendants, Louis (1808–1885) and then Gaston (1847–1909), distinguished themselves through their scholarly work on regional history. The south-east façade, in Renaissance style, is covered by a tall slate roof. A corbelled turret occupies the centre of the façade and houses a chapel; the main building also retains a portico with a segmental arch whose medallions were defaced during the Revolution. The estate further includes a remarkable dovecote. The 15th-century stair turret and the Renaissance main building have been registered as historic monuments since 6 September 1938. The château remains private property.