During the times of the Lords of Brancion, l’Epervière was already known to be a fortress.
The first residents of the right wing (which still exists today) apparently were the Veillaufant family, around 1537. From these days, one can still see the remains of the moat surrounding the château. Many families of importance have lived at l’Epervière, one of whom was the Count of Clugny’s. They built the bridge at the entrance of the court yard (which you can still see today) in 1768.
The Castle
In 1788, Baron François Julien de Géramb, Knight of the Holy Empire (son of the famous Orion de Géramb, Magnate of Hungry and Minister of Joseph II, Emperor of Austria), gave orders to build the Château as what you can still see today. It includes the old bridge and the right wing from the former, older building.
He reconstructed completely the main central building and put a sculpture of a sparrow hawk on the roof of the pavilion. In 1825, Mrs Durand (born De Géramb) sold the château to Jean-Jacques Marie Huve, (architect to the King Charles X) and Cécile Caillat, his wife.
In 1829, the De Ronfand family bought the château, followed by the De Rotalier family who bought the château in 1834. The De Rotalier family sold the château in 1883 to a business man by the name of Mr Saunier..The following owners were then Mr Merlin and his niece, followed by the Count of Chalon and finally Mr Cyprien Gay, who dedicated 25 years of his life to save this historic building.
What’s in a name
The name “Epervière” is often mixed up with the word “epervier”, which is the French word for sparrow hawk. During the 19th and 20th century, there even has been a statue of a sparrow hawk on the roof of the castle.
However, the actual name “Epervière” is said to be a transformation of the word “perrière”. This is ancient French word meaning quarry. Indeed, the castle and the houses in the surrounding hamlet with the same name, are all built with the stones from this quarry….
Start of the Campsite
To try and finance the necessary investments and restoring work, Mr Gay created the campsite Château de l’Epervière in 1968. After his sudden accidental death in 1992, Mme Gay and her son Christophe continued to develop the campsite and restoring the château, making it a fine 4 star campsite since 1996
Since 2002, the Engel family runs Domaine du Château de l’Epervière and they continue to improve the quality of the campsite, resulting in obtaining the 5-star rating in 2013 and obtaining the Green Key environmental label in 2015.
http://www.domaine-eperviere.com

Château de Épervière

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The Château de Balleure is a castle in the commune of Étrigny in the Saône-et-Loire département of France.
Description
The castle has a rectangular plan confined by circular towers. To the east is a rectangular residential building; to the north a gatehouse tower, a large square tower and a second square tower of lesser dimensions; to the west a high residential building flanked by a staircase tower.
History
n the middle of the 13th century: the land belonged to the Sauvement family. In 1340, Henri de Sauvement obtained authorisation from the Duke of Burgundy to surround his house with walls and moats. In the 14th century, the castle passed into the possession of Rabutin d'Epiry and at the beginning of 15th century to the house of Saint-Julien. The historian, Pierre de Saint-Julien de Balleure, was born in the castle in 1519. In 1613, it passed to Charles de Naturel and stayed in his family until the French Revolution. In 1767, François-Emmanuel de Naturel undertook a partial restoration. During the 19th century, the property was shared among several owners.
Monument
The castle is private property and not open to visitors. It was added to the supplementary inventory of monuments historiques by the French Ministry of Culture in December 1941.

Château de Balleure

The Château de Brancion was defended by three fortified walls, the gateway to the city piercing the third of them and thus defending the village. Several towers flanked the walls: Beaufort Tower, the Tower of Chaul, Longchamp Tower.
At the centre of this device, at the highest point of the rock, defended to the North and to the West by the third wall, stands the Dungeon, a high square tower including a blind ground floor without access to the outside and three floors. It remains impressive with its "retreat", the House of the Lord.
Until the 16th century, it was crowned with battlements and topped with a pointed roof which has been replaced by a terrace. Against the Dungeon, lies in the East a ruined owner's home, pierced by bottony bays, which seems to have been rebuilt in the 15th century on the foundations of the 12th century. It is flanked to the East of twin square towers attached the second wall, the Tower of the courtyard and the Tower of la Gaîté. To the South of this set, fishbone shaped walls remain. They were part of  a prior to the 11th century construction.
Brief summary of history
The earliest mention dates back to the 10th century and during 300 years many families succeeded at Brancion, marking the site of their footprint.
In the middle of the 13th century the Lords of Brancion themselves were ruined by the seventh crusade that cost a great deal to Josserand the great, the new Lord of Brancion.
In 1477, at the death of Charles the bold, Duke of Burgundy and Grand Duke of the West, the greater part of the Duchy of Burgundy returned to the domain of the Crown and Brancion becomes Royal castel.
In 1594, during the wars of Religion, the Castle falls for the first and only time in its history. At the French Revolution, the Château was sold as national property. In 1860, Victor de Murard de Saint-Romain bought the Château de Brancion, it is still owned by his descendants.
The village of Brancion
Visit the charming medieval village of Brancion and St Peter's Church which has wall paintings from the 13th century.
http://www.memo.fr

Château de Brancion

Le château de Bresse-sur-Grosne est un monument historique situé sur la commune de Bresse-sur-Grosne en Saône-et-Loire.
Description
Le corps central du château est flanqué de deux ailes disposées en retour, un quatrième bâtiment ayant été abattu au sud pour former une cour ouverte sur le parc. L'aile est comprend le donjon, une entrée à pont-levis et, au sud, un prolongement ajouté au xixe siècle ; une tourelle est accolée au donjon, une tour ronde à l'angle nord-ouest. L'aile ouest comprend quant à elle une partie ancienne reliée au château par un corps de bâtiment (xixe siècle) au décor néo-Renaissance. Le château a conservé une chapelle du xiie siècle. Importantes dépendances à usage vinicole (xviie siècle) et une ferme modèle. Dans le parc, restes d'une orangerie, d'une glacière et d'un pigeonnier.
Le château, propriété privée, ne se visite pas. Il fait l’objet d’une inscription au titre des monuments historiques depuis le 21 mars 1983.
Historique
1180 : le château est mentionné dans une bulle du pape Alexandre III.
xiie siècle : il appartient à une famille noble du nom de Brecis ou Bressis.
Vers 1450 : il passe par mariage à la famille Palatin de Dyo, puissante maison du Charolais.
1617 : la propriété est vendue à réméré aux moines de l'abbaye de La Ferté, qui commencent sur les terrains une exploitation viticole et construisent les bâtiments d'exploitation.
1689 : les Palatin de Dyo récupèrent la propriété.
xviiie siècle : le château passe par mariage aux Cambis, famille originaires de Provence.
1769 : le domaine est vendu à Philibert Chiquet, bourgeois de Chalon.
1799 : Philibert Chiquet lègue le domaine à sa petite-nièce Claudine-Marguerite qui, par mariage, l'apporte à la famille Murard à laquelle il appartient encore.
1870 : la restauration du château est confiée à Sanson, architecte parisien.

Château de Bresse-sur-Grosne

Château de Sercy is a castle of the twelfth century to the fifteenth century changed Sercy in Saône-et-Loire in Burgundy. It is the subject of a classification as historical monuments since May 1974.This is one of the best preserved medieval castles and the most curious of the region. It included, in the east, a first chamber of which only the circular tower-dovecote. It was reached by a drawbridge located south. A fixed bridge is located was substituted him after partial destruction occurred during the Hundred Years War. He is now buried under a lawn that above a pond. The second chamber comprised between two triangular course which only remains that of the south, the castle itself, whose buildings, gathered around a small courtyard, form an irregular quadrilateral flanked by towers of various types.
http://www.frenchchateau.net/chateaux-of-bourgogne/chateau-de-sercy.html

Château de Sercy

Château de Germolles is situated in Burgundy, not far from Beaune and Chalon-sur-Saône. It is the best preserved residence of the Dukes of Burgundy. Built during the second part of the 14th century, this château is important for the history of the region. Furthermore, it is a rare example of such a well-preserved residence in France in the 14th and the beginning of the 15th centuries, when most of the princely palaces of that period have almost entirely disappeared. This exceptional site evokes court life in France on the eve of the Renaissance.
It has been listed as a Historic monument since 1989.
History
Origins : the stronghold of the seigneurs of Germolles
The site of Germolles was occupied from the 13th century by a stronghold built by the local feudal lords of the manor: the seigneurs of Germolles. In the 2nd half of the 14th century, their financial situation was so critical that they had to sell the domain of Germolles which was purchased by the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Bold. We know very little about the appearance of the fortress of the lords of Germolles. It certainly had large towers and solid walls with only a few windows. All that remains of the original building are the lower chapel and the wine cellar.
Country estate of Philip the Bold and Margaret of Flanders
In 1380, Philip the Bold (first Duke of Burgundy of the new royal Valois dynasty in France, after the Capetian dynasty came to an end) purchased the domain of Germolles. After one year, he gave it to his wife, the Duchess Margaret of Flanders. Important and expensive transformations were immediately undertaken by her. They lasted for the next ten years. The aim of the duchess was to transform the austere and archaic fortress of the 13th century into a country estate. In order to achieve this, she enlisted the help of artists working in the service of the ducal couple: the architect Drouet de Dammartin, the sculptors, Jean de Marville and Claus Sluter, and the painter Jean de Beaumetz. These artists worked at the same time on another important project of the Duke: the chartreuse de Champmol. The residence was slowly transformed into a sumptuous country estate. The large rectangular building, surrounded by a moat, enclosed a courtyard. The apartments were situated in the south and east wings, while the west wing contained receptions rooms, and the north wing was for the guards and security staff. The Duchess of Burgundy, who was energetic and a country lover, decided to develop at Germolles some rustic activities that would create a pleasant environment around her favourite residence, as well as developing local agriculture and providing some income for the maintenance of the domain. So she planted a large rose garden, and the petals were sent to Flanders to be used to make rose water. Similarly, a model sheepfold was built that reflected not only the Duchess’s interest in sheep, but also the important contribution of that animal, through its wool, to the fortune of Flanders, in Burgundy.
King Charles VI of France was received at Germolles on 12 February 1389, at the invitation of his aunt and uncle.
After the ducal period
After Philip the Bold and Margaret of Flanders, the château belonged to the following three Dukes of Burgundy : John the Fearless, Philip the Good and Charles the Bold. After the death of Charles the Bold in Nancy in 1477, the château became a possession of the King of France. Used by various families courtesy of the King until the end of the 18th century, the château was sold to the Nation after the French Revolution. Different kinds of destruction, voluntary or accidental, due in particular to the lack of maintenance, led to the loss of certain parts of the building. The château was purchased at the end of the 19th century by the same family who still own it. Today it is open to visitors throughout most of the year, and a programme of cultural events takes place annually.
Description
Remains of the original fortress
Two elements date from the first period of Germolles (13th century). They are still conserved because they were integrated into the project of transformation in a ducal palace. The large wine cellar used for the storage of wine and food has conserved its medieval appearance with modern gothic next to traditional Burgundian romanesque elements. The lower chapel has similar architecture but has sculptured decoration with both romanesque reliefs and gothic foliage.
The two towers at the entrance to the château certainly date from the original building but were reused and reinforced in the 14th century. Even if during the ducal period the château was no longer a fortress, the importance of the rulers of the place required the presence of an escort confined to the châtelet comprising the towers and the guard room.
Sumptuous princely palace
The reception room above the cellar was used in the 14th century to receive important guests. It was destroyed by a fire at the beginning of the 19th century but the remains indicate its original size. The south wall of the room was decorated with a monumental fireplace on top of which was a gallery for the musicians. The remains of this fireplace were removed in the 20th century to the great hall of the present château. It is adorned with capitals from the workshop of Claus Sluter representing a scene of Chrétien de Troyes’s novel, Yvain, the Knight with the Lion. Today archaeological discoveries made in the château are displayed in the reception room. The château still has a large collection of medieval floor tiles that decorated the floors of the 1st and 2nd floors of the ducal residence. Made of enamelled terracotta, they are decorated with motifs such as daisies, lions that are the symbols of the rulers of the place as well as roses, thistles, sheep, suns, fleur-de-lis etc.
Ducal chapel
The duchess’s architect created, above the old lower chapel, a ducal chapel. This is composed of a nave, as well as a choir (architecture) installed in the elegant octagonal turret built as a bartizan and a private and comfortable oratory with its own fireplace. It was reserved for the devotions of the princess. At the end of the 19th century a fire destroyed this exquisite part of the building which was then exposed to the elements. In 2009–2010, restoration work under the supervision and with the financial support of the government and the Department of Saône-et-Loire, was carried out to restore the roof and top part of the turret and recreate the sense of the space of the nave with a modern protection.
Main building and the luxurious comfort of the court of Burgundy
Today the main building is separated from the rest of the château that surrounded the courtyard. It is certainly the most remarkable part of the château. It is particularly well preserved with elements showing the quality of the construction: large windows opening to the outside, turrets with internal spiral staircases cut in stone, gothic fireplaces... Its three floors are the architectural manifestation of the brilliant court of the duke and duchess: the ground floor was used for domestic activities, the first floor contained the ducal apartments and the second, the court apartments. In one of the kitchens on the ground floor, the large gothic fireplace still in its original position evokes the activities of the place. Gothic Revival architecture wall paintings with rose motifs were revealed during recent restoration work carried out in at the beginning of the 20th century. On the first floor, the dressing room of Margaret of Bavaria (daughter in-law of the ducal couple and future duchess of Burgundy), still possesses its murals that have been recently restored. These paintings by Jean de Beaumetz and his assistant Armoult Picornet are very rare examples of princely wall paintings in France at the end of the Middle Ages. The motifs P and M, initials of the duke and the duchess, cover the walls, along with thistles, a noble flower with sharp prickles which is the emblem of Margaret of Flanders. This decoration which extended to the floor (with floor tiles showing thistles) can be found as well in the adjoining room. Cleaning has revealed wall paintings similar to those in the dressing room. Other wall paintings with roses and daisies have been discovered in other apartments on the first floor. The garret or rooms under the timbers on the second floor were for the court that accompanied the ducal couple. The ceiling built as an inverted hull of a ship was panelled and the walls were decorated with tapestries. One of these rooms, restored at the beginning of the 20th century is covered with copies of wall paintings from originals of the first floor.
Gardens to accompany the ducal residence
The garden created by Margaret of Flanders and the large rose garden have disappeared. Transformed into a romantic English garden at the end of the 19th century, the park has some charming spots with old and rare trees such as a Bald Cypress, a Tulip tree from Virginia, a ginkgo biloba, an araucaria, and groups of lime trees.
Some dates
1380: The duke of Burgundy, Philip the Bold, purchased Germolles for his wife, Margaret of Flanders;
1382: beginning of the renovation and re-building of the residence. The work lasted fifteen years during which the château was transformed into a luxurious country estate;
1389: visit of King Charles VI of France;
1393: Claus Sluter carved the famous group showing Philip the Bold and Margaret of Flanders ; the duke and the duchess are seated under an elm, surrounded by sheep;
1399: a statue of the Virgin Mary was made by Claus Sluter and his workshop and placed at the entrance to the château;
1466: restoration of the group made by Claus Sluter, protected against the elements;
1873: fires destroyed parts of the château.

Château de Germolles

Already regarded as "noble men" in 1022, the du Blé became lords of Cormatin in the early thirteenth century.
At the end of the sixteenth century, the wars of religion allowed Antoine du Blé to increase his influence and wealth. He became master of southern Burgundy in the name of the Catholic League before "turning coat" and bringing the right bank of the Saone under the authority of Henri IV, in opposition to the Spanish Franche-Comte.
In return, he became lieutenant general and governor of Chalon sur Saone, then a strategic stronghold.
His son Jacques was received at the Court of France. From 1610 he was an intimate of the Queen Regent Marie de Medici.
In 1617, at age 35, he married Claude (aged 13), daughter of Raymond Phélypeaux, Treasurer of the Savings, Secretary of State, one of the most influential men of the moment.
In 1618, Jacques du Blé received one of the first titles of Marquis created by the young Louis XIII. In 1628 he was made responsible for conquering the marquisate of Monferrato in Italy. Without money, food or ammunition, his troops were "defeated as snow would be melted by fire" (Richelieu).
Humiliated, he tried to regain his honor by a brilliant action. During the siege of Privas, before the king, he launched a daring attack during which he was killed (May 14, 1629). His soldiers avenged his death by a massacre during the capture of the city.
Subsequent generations resided very little in Burgundy. But Nicolas du Blé, Marshal of France, governor of Alsace and a member of the Council of Regency on the death of Louis XIV in 1722 was exiled there for his opposition to the alliance with England.
His nephew and heir, Henri-Camille de Béringhen, First Equerry to King Louis XV, then left all the marquisate of Huxelles to his natural daughter, Sophie Verne.
Burgundian wine saves the chateau!
With her, the chateau came back to life in the summer. Her husband, Pierre Dezoteux, aide-de-camp to Rochambeau during the American Revolutionary War, established many specimen trees in the gardens (tulip trees, swamp cypresses).
During the "Great Fear" in 1789, he managed to calm the rioters, who aimed to burn the castle, by rolling out all the barrels from the wine cellars for them ...
During the Revolution he became head of the Chouans of Brittany, while his wife, remaining in Cormatin with her six children, was not troubled. The chateau came through the storm unscathed. However, in 1815, some dodgy alterations caused the collapse of the south wing.
The romances of the poet
In 1812, Lamartine seduced the daughter of the owners, Nina Dezoteux, wife of the Count of Pierreclau and a son was born of this dalliance. The poet often returned to the château after 1843, when one of his relatives, Henri de Lacretelle, inherited it. He wrote a significant part of "The History of the Girondins" there, thanks to the family archives. In 1847, he met his political friends in Cormatin to write his republican and socialist programme. Printed in Macon, this text excited interest throughout Europe at the time of the 1848 revolutions.
To preserve the memory of the event, a statue representing the Second French Republic was erected in the courtyard in 1849. It has survived but ... decapitated.
On July 14 1888, Jacques de Lacretelle was born at the chateau: he was one of the great French writers of the twentieth century (Silbermann). In his series of novels "Les Hauts-Ponts", he was inspired by the tragedy for his family from the loss of the estate, sold in 1898 to Raoul Gunsbourg.
Under this Director of the Monte-Carlo Opera, Cormatin became a summer retreat for the world of entertainment and politics. Each year, the "Musical Concours of Cormatin", chaired by the composer Jules Massenet, heard an operetta or an opera before the facades of the chateau. The performers were prestigious: Caruso, Chaliapine, Litvine, Tamagno, etc.
After this brilliant period, more than 50 years of neglect lead Cormatin to the brink of ruin. In September 1980, Anne-Marie Joly, Marc Simonet-Lenglart, and Pierre-Albert Almendros acquired this "masterpiece in peril". Since then they have been dedicated to its restoration and development, with the support of the 60,000 people who visit the chateau each year.
From 1982 to 1995, the restoration of the chateau also received financial aid from the Ministry of Culture and the Conseil Général of Saône et Loire for the restoration of facades, the re-excavation of the moat and the renovation of the seventeenth century painted decor.
http://www.chateaudecormatin.com

Château de Cormatin

Château de Bissy-sur-Fley is located in the town of Bissy-sur-Fley in Saône-et-Loire.The castle has retained a pregnant elongated rectangular, pierced at both ends of driveway gates. The south gate is flanked by a square tower. The house, a rectangular plan, is flanked by a circular tower at the northwest corner, an oblong tower at the southeast corner), a square tower at the southwest corner and a stair tower facade. The castle, privately owned, is open to visitors. It is the subject of a registration as a historic monument since June 3, 1932.
http://www.frenchchateau.net/chateaux-of-bourgogne/chateau-de-bissy-sur-fley.html

Château de Bissy-sur-Fley

Château de Burnand witnessed a rich history. Located in Southern Burgundy, it is near the medieval town of Saint Gengoux the National which was known as being the King’s favorite country resort in the 18th century because of its “Fountain of Youth”.
The original castle dates back certainly the 13th Century and is now frequently called "The Castle of Sleeping Beauty."
The oldest part (the basement) would be thirteenth or fourteenth century. The oldest documents known today cite the family Cajod as the owners in the XV Century. Originating from the Bresse and Macon area Cajod become the lords of Burnand in 1453. Their emblem still stands in a stone façade of the castle today. At some time in the 17th century the castle served as home for an Augustinian monastic community. They inhabited the chateau for about 150 years. Various details in the architecture remind us of this bygone era.
Historical Layout
1625 - One of the lords Cajod is killed during a campaign in Italy where he fought in the regiment Uxelles (lord Cormatin). 
1642 - Lord Cajod's widow gave the domain to the Congregation of Discalced (Barefoot) Augustinians, a mendicant order.
1643-1790 - Between 3 and 9 resident monks at the castle, transformed it into a priory. They exploited the chateau and its environment until the French Revolution. During the Revolution, the castle was declared a "National Asset" and is administered "in-house" by Brother Louis, the only survivor of the Community. 
1791-1818 - Following the sale of National Property, the castle was sold and passed into the hands of various owners.
1819 - Its last owner, Denis Lyons Berliet, offered it to his friend John Van Risamburgh. For the first time in its history, the castle hosts the Dutch in its walls. He was the son of an emigrated Dutch family, artist and furniture-maker. The chateau served as a favorite source of inspiration, Van Risenburgh immortalized the castle on canvas many times. The father and two brothers lived there until 1848. When they sold the castle to the family of Bernard Lavernette. This family originated from the old aristocracy of Beaujolais, owned several properties in the region.
1866 - Anatole Bernard Lavernette undertook a complete renovation of the castle to settle with his family ten years later. They transformed the castle into its present fairytale-like castle. 
1990 - Famous Dutch painter Nico Vrielink lived here with his wife Jeane Seah, and two sons. They worked at the castle for several years. A number of his works and her sculptures are to be seen in and around the castle grounds.
https://www.chateaudeburnand.net