Château de Janzé: A Historic Medieval and Early Modern Estate in France

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.chateaudejanze.com

Country: France

Civilization: Early Modern, Medieval European

Site type: Domestic

Remains: Palace

History

The Château de Janzé is situated in Marcilly-d’Azergues, France, and was originally constructed during the 12th century by medieval builders within the Kingdom of France. Its early role was that of a fortified stronghold.

The first recorded owner was Ulric Anseu in the 12th century. During the 13th century, ownership transferred to Albert de Guizeu, a monk affiliated with the abbey of Ainay. The Guizeu family maintained possession through multiple generations until the middle of the 15th century, marking a period of relative familial continuity.

In the 17th century, the estate changed hands several times. Notably, in 1616, it was held by René Chausse. Later in 1658, Barthélémy d’Honoraty undertook a significant rebuilding of the structure. Following this, the property passed to Claude Carret in 1698, then to Camille Gemeau in 1719, and to Jean Clerico in 1729. Pierre Gabriel Clerico, a member of this family, expanded the property, incorporating adjacent lands. Between 1774 and 1780, further acquisitions of neighboring estates enlarged the château’s domain.

Ownership eventually came to François Boulard de Gatellier, whose lineage continues to hold the estate. This series of transitions reflects both the adaptation of the château to changing needs over time and the integration of surrounding lands to form a larger estate in the 18th century.

Remains

The Château de Janzé presents a striking example of a structure with origins in the medieval period, retaining parts dating back to the 12th and 15th centuries. Its overall design features a rectangular main residential building primarily constructed in the 17th century and later remodeled in the early 18th century.

This principal building rises two stories high with five evenly spaced openings, or bays, per floor, crowned by an attic beneath a mansard roof—a type of roof with two slopes on each side, with the lower slope steeper than the upper—finished with a combination of tiles and slate. The main façade, oriented toward the northwest, is flanked by two round towers. Each tower is topped with a pointed, slate-covered roof, adding to the site’s fortified character.

Extending out from these towers to the east and west are service buildings which form a complex enclosing three courtyards within the estate grounds. One of these courtyards includes a chapel constructed during the 18th century, reflecting the period’s architectural and religious influences. The château is set within a park covering around 10 hectares, providing a spacious setting that has evolved over centuries in concert with the property expansions recorded in the late 18th century.

Together, these features reveal a site that combines medieval defensive elements with the residential and aesthetic designs of the early modern era, preserving a layered architectural history visible in the structure’s fabric and layout.