Château des Guillaumets

En un regard

Le château en bref

The Château des Guillaumets, in Beaune-d'Allier, refers to an ensemble made up of two separate residences (logis), the Château de Sainte-Foy and the Château de la Celle, located in the hamlet of Les Guillaumets. The site stands at a crossroads of ancient routes linking Évaux to Montmarault and Chantelle to Châteaumeillant, on the historic border between Auvergne and the Bourbonnais; it served as a residence for octroi officials and gabelous (tax collectors) responsible for collecting taxes on this obligatory crossing point. The Château de Sainte-Foy, a remodelled former fortified castle, retains two corner towers from the 14th and 15th centuries, as well as a mansard roof, a carved door keystone and a dormer pediment bearing a coat of arms. The Château de la Celle incorporates a square tower thought to date from the 13th century, surrounded by more complex buildings; it retains a former chapel and extensive farm buildings, including a sheepfold. The ensemble underwent major alterations in the 17th and 18th centuries. Privately owned, the site is not open to visitors.