Visits: visits are possible at certain times of the year - castle info and visit schedule - 06 81 36 30 84. The visit is interesting and is carried out by the current owner. In about 1 hour you will learn about the evolution of the construction of the castle over the centuries, the wealth of information revealed inside the chapel, and the very different points of view you see as you tour the chateau.
One can walk freely in the park and the garden.
Location : 9 Route de Saint-Pierre - Epiry - 71490 SAINT-EMILAND
The chateau can be reached by road as it lies between Couches and Autun, but it can be accessed also from the Canal du Centre, at Perreuil, following the directions to Essertenne.
You can combine your visit with:
The chateaux of Couches et Autun
or
Villa Perrusson, the Canal du Centre and Le Creusot
Situation: The castle is built down the hillside and its layout is quite surprising as we cannot imagine it was very easy to defend. The moat is also not very deep, and it is rather mysterious to note that the access bridge to the entrance only dates from the 19th century.
The first impression is that the Chateau d’Epiry seems a little hidden, sheltered from the world and the surrounding woods, and the woods would have surrounded it even more in the Middle Ages.
Some very beautiful 19th century outbuildings with coloured roof tiles decorate the park while a very simple and charming English garden offers a beautiful view of the chateau.
A few words on its history: the oldest known trace of construction dates from 1110 with a square tower that has now disappeared, but the visit allows you to identify its original location. The different wings of the castle testify to its evolution over the centuries, showing additions or destruction/reconstruction of the different wings. This makes the current owner say that you are: “Visiting 4 castles in 1”. The 4 sides of the chateau are marked by 4 different centuries. The chapel has beautiful 16th century, stained glass windows, and a visit is an opportunity to learn more about its various owners, including the Bussy Rabutin family (from the 14th to the 17th century).
