previousnext

Pisy Castle

Château de Pisy

Pisy Castle, locally known as Château de Pisy, lies next to the village of the same name in the Yonne department in France.

Construction of Pisy Castle started from 1235, after Guy I of Arcis obtained from his cousin Anséric VI of Montreal the authorization to build a stronghold here and to use the wood of the forest of Vausse for this purpose.

Guy was succeded by his son Jean III d'Arcis, whose wife was Isabelle de Noyers, who held the caste until his death in 1273. Then his belongings were divided between his 4 sons. Some sons died later, so around 1307 the castle of Pisy fell to his son Guillaume I. Later that century the sole heir to the lands of Pisy; Jeanne d'Arcis, married Guillaume de Grancey, Lord of Larrey, lieutenant of the Duke of Burgundy, which made Guillaume the new Lord of Pisy. In 1373 the Lord of Pisy was granted subsidies to restore the castle as it was probably sacked by the English troops of Edward III of England, who had ravaged the area a short time before, during the Hundred Years' War.

François de Surienne, a Spanish mercenary for the French, acquired Pisy Castle in 1450. Through marriage the castle passed to the Ragny family later that century. They then reconstructed the castle in 1480.

In 1590, during the Wars of Religion, fighting raged in the region and Pisy Castle was taken by troops of the Catholic League of France. They then used it as a base from which they ravaged and plundered the region for a few months before it was taken back by François de la Magdelaine, Marquis of Ragny.

From the 17th century on the castle passed through the hands of several families, most of whom did not use it as a residence. Since at least the beginning of the 18th century the castle was converted to agricultural use. During the French Revolution, at the end of the 18th century, the castle was sold to a Jacques-Emmanuel Laugier, who kept it until 1820. The castle kept being used as a farm until the 1980s when it was bought by a painter, Pierre Saint-Paul, who set up his workshop here.

In the early 2000s Saint-Paul sold Pisy Castle to Countess Liliane de Marenches, a descendant of the Harcourt family who had owned it for some time during the 18th century. She intended to turn the castle into a luxury hotel complex, which didn't happen because she didn't obtain the necessary permits from the heritage services. A foundation named after her still owns the castle to this day. In recent years consolidation works were carried out.

At present Pisy Castle can not be visited, although it does not seem to be used for anything. Too bad, I am curious about its interior.

Gallery

Details
Hits: 1915

previousnext

Pisy Castle

Château de Pisy

Pisy Castle, locally known as Château de Pisy, lies next to the village of the same name in the Yonne department in France.

Construction of Pisy Castle started from 1235, after Guy I of Arcis obtained from his cousin Anséric VI of Montreal the authorization to build a stronghold here and to use the wood of the forest of Vausse for this purpose.

Guy was succeded by his son Jean III d'Arcis, whose wife was Isabelle de Noyers, who held the caste until his death in 1273. Then his belongings were divided between his 4 sons. Some sons died later, so around 1307 the castle of Pisy fell to his son Guillaume I. Later that century the sole heir to the lands of Pisy; Jeanne d'Arcis, married Guillaume de Grancey, Lord of Larrey, lieutenant of the Duke of Burgundy, which made Guillaume the new Lord of Pisy. In 1373 the Lord of Pisy was granted subsidies to restore the castle as it was probably sacked by the English troops of Edward III of England, who had ravaged the area a short time before, during the Hundred Years' War.

François de Surienne, a Spanish mercenary for the French, acquired Pisy Castle in 1450. Through marriage the castle passed to the Ragny family later that century. They then reconstructed the castle in 1480.

In 1590, during the Wars of Religion, fighting raged in the region and Pisy Castle was taken by troops of the Catholic League of France. They then used it as a base from which they ravaged and plundered the region for a few months before it was taken back by François de la Magdelaine, Marquis of Ragny.

From the 17th century on the castle passed through the hands of several families, most of whom did not use it as a residence. Since at least the beginning of the 18th century the castle was converted to agricultural use. During the French Revolution, at the end of the 18th century, the castle was sold to a Jacques-Emmanuel Laugier, who kept it until 1820. The castle kept being used as a farm until the 1980s when it was bought by a painter, Pierre Saint-Paul, who set up his workshop here.

In the early 2000s Saint-Paul sold Pisy Castle to Countess Liliane de Marenches, a descendant of the Harcourt family who had owned it for some time during the 18th century. She intended to turn the castle into a luxury hotel complex, which didn't happen because she didn't obtain the necessary permits from the heritage services. A foundation named after her still owns the castle to this day. In recent years consolidation works were carried out.

At present Pisy Castle can not be visited, although it does not seem to be used for anything. Too bad, I am curious about its interior.

Gallery

Details
Hits: 1915