The history of the Château de Picol has been reconstructed from all the authentic notarial deeds drawn up during the successive sales.
In 1880 years Pierre Marie Eulalie DELPONT and Victorine Arthémuse COUGAULT,
His wife and he own a luxury hotel in Nice, the "Grand Hotel du Mont-Boron". They acquire the plot "Le Pied de Picol" of 2 ha, 76 ares, from Mr. Edouard PASQUIER, tailor in Châtellerault and Mrs. Adrienne BIGOT his wife, on 30/04/1886 and on which they build the castle.
After that, they acquired the plot of "Piffonds", 43 ares 60 centiares, on 15/09/1890.
As we can still see, the initials " D and C " are visible above the entrance gate of the castle for DELPONT and COUGAULT.
The castle was thus built between 1890 and 1892 and remained the property of the DELPONT and COUGAULT families until their death.
Mr. DELPONT He died in Nice on November 23, 1900, without leaving any heirs. He left his entire estate to his wife, who in turn died on April 1, 1921, in her villa. "Picky Rock" from Nice, without leaving an heir.
By will Mrs. COUGAULT bequeaths his estate half to Madame Victorine FOUQUE and half to the latter's daughter, Miss Gabrielle GRESSOT, born from a first marriage and disabled.
Also heirs on the paternal side are Henriette GRESSOT, Eugénie GRESSOT and Blanche, Victorine GRESSOT.
Gabrielle GRESSOT died on 23/06/1921, Madame Victorine FOUQUE, already the owner of the largest share, bought back the shares of the three other heirs on 27/10/1921.
On April 21, 1929, the castle was sold at auction by Maitre HILLION, notary in Lencloître.
It is then acquired by Mrs. Suzanne Eugénie de COPPET, Countess De Perrin and her husband Mr. Count Emmanuel DE PERRIN, of MONCEL de CABRILLES la BRASSAGUIER, sculptor and Knight of the Legion of Honour.
Count de Perrin is also the owner of Rivau Castle which he also had classified as a Historical Monument in 1918.
Alphonse Emmanuel MONCEL, Count of Perrin de Cabrilles Labrassaguier.
On June 23, 1934, Arthur Chagnial became the owner of the Château de Picol.
On January 18, 1941, it was Henri Joubert and his wife Alicechocolatiers in Paris who become the owners.
It was the JOUBERT couple who commissioned the architect Edouard UTUDJIAN (1905-1975) to enlarge the castle by adding the dining room, the terrace and the steps on the north side.
Above the French doors of the dining room, one can read the initials " HAJ "for Henri and Alice JOUBERT."
It was also during this period, specifically for the disabled Mrs. JOUBERT, that the elevator was installed to provide access to the first floor.
During the war, the castle, which was under renovation, was not requisitioned by the Germans.
Having become a widow, Madame Alice JOUBERT in turn ceded the castle to her cousins Robert and Germaine GIE, pharmacists in Paris.
Edouard UTUDJIAN
is a member of the International Group for Prospective Architecture and the author of numerous projects in France and abroad.
Edouard Utudjian was a student of Auguste Perret (to whom we owe the reconstruction of the city of Le Havre after the war) and attended Le Corbusier's lectures. He is also:
– Knight of the Legion of Honour
– Commander of the National Order of Merit.
on 28/01/1963 it was the GIE pharmacists in Paris and cousins of the JOUBERT who became the owners.
21/01/1966 Robert and Jeanine PETIT in turn become the owners of the Château de Picol.
Robert PETIT was then the departmental director of agriculture for Vienne.
They call on the architect Madeleine URSAULT to remodel the castle.
Madeleine URSAULT.
He is responsible for the large fireplace in the living room and the stained glass windows that surround it.
Madeleine URSAULT used the same type of stained glass to illuminate the Saint Paul church in Poitiers.
It should be noted that Madeleine URSAULT, her brother and her father built half of Poitiers and were responsible for numerous projects in Angoulême and Niort.
05/09/1973 the castle was then sold to Jean Claude and Monique MENDOÇA.
09/05/1974 these are Jean Michel and Catherine VERGNAUX who become the owners.
The Vergnaux family are forestry operators and live in Ivory Coast for 10 months of the year. Mrs. Vergnaux usually spends July and August in France at Château Picol, and Mr. Vergnaux typically stays there during August. The rest of the year, the château is uninhabited and maintained by the caretakers.
13/11/2012 these are Lawrence and Marian Clarke, a retired Irish farming couple who are settling there.
10/04/2022 They are antique dealers from Normandy. Christian and Alla HUREAU who become their proud owners.
Marriage of Robert PERRIER and Madeleine BRAULT on August 9, 1923 – It is interesting to observe on the menu, the representation of the name of the Château de Picol by 1 foot, 2 magpies and a col (the foot of Picol) which was the name of the plot on which the castle was built.
