Chateau Saint-Georges was built in 1788 just before the revolution by property trader Claude du RYER (or DURIER). The chateau changed hands twice and then became home to seven generations of DE VICHY from 1824-2018.
The noble De Vichy de Champrond family traces its origins to Gaspard I De Vichy, who was elevated to the status of “Count” in 1632 by King Louis XIII after a battle he won, receiving the Chamron/Champrond castle in Ligny-en-Brionnais. His son Gaspard II was also an active soldier and was elevated to the status of “Marquis” by King Louis XIV (Sun King) in 1690.
In 1789 (revolution), the 4th Marquis was De Vichy, one of the largest landowners in the Brionnais region: some 30 estates and 4 castles, including the one at Chamron/Champrond and the one at Montceaux-l’Étoile. But a revolution can change everything…. After living in Lyon for a while, he bought the Château in Marcigny in 1824 and presumably named the house after his deceased mother (buried in the chapel in Montceaux-l’Étoile), from the noble Saint-Georges family. In July 2021, we were able to buy the château from the 9th Marquis De Vichy who, together with his brother and sister, put the house up for sale after the passing of their parents.
The Château consisted solely of the main house until 1900 and was then extended by the 6th Marquis de Vichy with a tower and atelier. Several windows and doors in the side walls were altered and gas lighting and plumbing were installed. Ornamental tiling was installed in much of the ground floor and heavy stone countertops in the kitchen, and later in 1925, electricity. The house was split into a family section and staff section. A gardener and chauffeur were employed in addition to chambermaids.
The castle currently stands in a 2ha park with woodland and meadow, bordered by a former gardener’s house, orangery, dovecote and caretaker’s house. The original estate consists of 7ha which also includes chicken barns, hunter’s hut and a farm. The front and rear of the residence are almost identical, with the current backside possibly also being used as the ‘front’ in the past at official receptions. The window racks, for example, are more luxurious at the rear and the steps are also one step higher. Combined with the driveway leading to the “Place-du-Champ-de-Foire”, this is very likely.
The main house consists of six drawing rooms and 12 bedrooms. The large kitchen is in the adjoining tower with a 90m2 ballroom above. The entire complex has not been altered since 1927 and is in need of major maintenance. Our aim is to modernise it and revive its former glory. The house and estate are private property.
