Description
The land of Ville-au-Val, like the entire left bank of the Natagne, was under the jurisdiction of Barrois and more specifically of Mousson. The other bank depended on Dieulouard, a possession of the bishops of Verdun, giving Ville-au-Val a highly strategic position.
The Château de Ville-au-Val has belonged to the same family since 1809, when François Antoine Louis Bourcier, Division General, State Councillor, Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour and Inspector General of the Cavalry of the Grande Armée, acquired the château by selling land received by the Emperor Napoleon.
In August 1944, it was at the Château de Ville-au-Val, in the presence of General Marshall, that General Patton decided on the attack which would lead his troops to Berchtesgaden and lead to the German surrender.
The current castle retains very few of its original medieval features, with major alterations taking place in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, including the current openings with molded frames. The castle's hidden treasure: the exceptional private chapel, which houses a painting by Jean Girardet, Stanislas's first painter.
The entire castle, including its facades and roofs, has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1988. The chapel has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1995.
Type : Castle
Conditions for individual visits : Guided tours