Vullierens Castle

Vullierens Castle is a historic château and estate in the municipality of Vullierens, above Morges in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. The property is recognized as a Swiss cultural property of national importance and combines a medieval fortified-site history with an early eighteenth-century French classical residence. Its identity today extends beyond the principal building: the estate includes formal gardens, an extensive iris collection, vineyards and historic cellars, agricultural and event buildings, and outdoor art installations. The first fortified residence on the site, known as Château-Vieux, was constructed in 1308 by Pierre de Duin, a member of a branch of the Lords of Duin associated with Geneva. The medieval complex followed a Savoyard defensive plan, with two enclosures and multiple towers. Much of that structure disappeared when Gabriel-Henri de Mestral rebuilt the property between 1706 and 1712. The new residence was conceived as a country château in the French classical style, with coordinated outbuildings and an orangery. The surviving medieval retaining walls and two northeastern towers preserve evidence of the earlier fortified settlement; one tower retains an eighteenth-century clock dated 1740. The estate stayed with the de Mestral family until the late nineteenth century, when Georgina de Mestral transferred it through marriage to Samuel Bovet. The Bovet family continues to own the property. This long continuity of family ownership is central to the estate's presentation and helps distinguish Vullierens from a purely museum-operated monument. Conservation, horticulture, wine production, cultural programming, and hospitality are presented as interconnected activities on one historic property. The most visible contemporary attraction is the Jardin d'Iris, developed during the twentieth century by Doreen Bovet. The gardens contain nearly 50,000 irises and more than 400 varieties, including dwarf, intermediate, border, garden, and Spuria irises. Seasonal displays also include tulips, rhododendrons, peonies, roses, and lilies. Seven themed gardens carry names connected with people and stories associated with the castle. The gardens are open to visitors during the principal flowering season, generally extending from late spring into summer, although exact opening dates and visitor arrangements may vary. Art is another important part of the estate's public identity. Numerous sculptures and installations have been shown among the gardens, including works by Manuel Torres, Beverly Pepper, Mireille Fulpius, Christian Lapie, Pol Quadens, Laura Ford, Dorothy Cross, Carles Valverde, and Manuel Carbonell. These exhibitions create a dialogue between the formal landscape, the château architecture, and contemporary sculpture rather than treating the gardens solely as a botanical collection. The estate also operates a wine-growing activity. More than seven hectares of historic vineyards south of the château produce varieties including Chasselas, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Gamaret, Garanoir, and Galotta. The stated approach emphasizes environmentally responsible cultivation, parcel-level monitoring, restricted yields, hand harvesting, and grape sorting. The early eighteenth-century cellar contains large oval oak vessels and nineteenth-century presses. Wine production and cellar management have historically been connected with the Hammel wine house of Rolle, while the estate sells wine directly. A further public-facing activity is Portes des Iris, the restored Collonges farm. Originally built after the eighteenth-century reconstruction and once used for livestock, the farm was converted into an event venue in 1998. Its glass-and-wrought-iron doors, inspired by irises and birds, frame views of the gardens and surrounding landscape. The venue hosts weddings, civil ceremonies, corporate events, and other gatherings. It was approved by the State of Vaud as a civil-ceremony location in 2007. The estate describes the commercial purpose of the venue as supporting investment in the conservation of the castle and its grounds.

Vullierens Castle occupies a hill above Morges in the municipality of Vullierens, in the Canton of Vaud. The earliest documented fortified residence on the site was built in 1308 by Pierre de Duin, whose family originated from the Geneva region. The medieval complex, called Château-Vieux, was organized as a Savoyard square protected by two concentric enclosures. Historical plans indicate a substantial three-story residence linked to several towers, together with a garden and orchard. The defensive complex has largely vanished, but terrace retaining walls and two northeastern towers remain visible. By the early eighteenth century the medieval residence had deteriorated significantly. Gabriel-Henri de Mestral obtained the seigneury after a legal dispute concerning its succession and undertook a complete reconstruction between 1706 and 1712. Rather than repairing the old fortress, he demolished most of it and built a French classical country residence on the medieval foundations and ruins. The new ensemble included a principal château, aligned wings, an orangery, agricultural buildings, and other outbuildings. The architect is not identified in the surviving documentation, but the design is regarded as an early Swiss expression of French classicism. The château's principal façade has two levels and nine bays, with a three-bay central projection crowned by a triangular pediment bearing the de Mestral arms. The courtyard façade follows a related composition. The main courtyard is enclosed by a gate and portal carrying the owners' heraldic decoration. The outbuildings were designed in a compatible architectural language, while the orangery was rebuilt later, around 1770 to 1780. One surviving medieval tower contains a clock dated 1740 and has an imperial-style roof dating from the eighteenth century. The property remained in the de Mestral family through the nineteenth century. Georgina de Mestral later transferred the estate to her husband, Samuel Bovet, bringing the property into the Bovet family, which continues to own it. The estate's history is therefore marked by succession through both inheritance and marriage over many centuries rather than by repeated institutional ownership. During the twentieth century, Doreen Bovet developed the château's gardens into the Jardin d'Iris. The garden became known for its large collection of irises and its seasonal displays of other ornamental plants. The estate presents seven themed garden areas, each associated with people or episodes connected to its history. This horticultural development transformed the property from a private aristocratic residence into a destination with a strong public garden identity. The grounds subsequently incorporated contemporary sculpture. Works by artists from Switzerland, Europe, the United States, and Latin America have been installed among the gardens, including steel, wood, and other large-scale forms. The art program adds a changing cultural dimension to the historic landscape and has helped establish the estate as more than an architectural monument. The vineyards are another longstanding component of the property. More than seven hectares south of the château are planted with Swiss and European grape varieties. The estate describes a low-impact viticultural approach involving manual harvesting, yield control, maturity monitoring, and sorting. Wine was historically processed in the château's early eighteenth-century cellar, which contains large oak vessels and nineteenth-century presses. The cellar was restored in 1979, and the Hammel wine house of Rolle has been associated with management of the estate's vines and production since 1975. The former Collonges farm was built after the reconstruction of the château and originally accommodated cattle. In 1998 it was restored and converted into Portes des Iris, an event and hospitality facility. The venue retains the scale and structure of the agricultural building while adding adaptable rooms, a large attic space, terraces, and views toward Lake Geneva and the Alps. In 2007 it received approval from the State of Vaud for civil ceremonies. Event income is intended to contribute to the ongoing preservation of the castle and estate. The château, its outbuildings, and associated architectural elements are protected as Swiss cultural property of national importance.

• 2018

  New contemporary artists added to the garden program

  [1]Vullierens Castleen.wikipedia.org

  Works by Pol Quadens, Laura Ford, Dorothy Cross, Carles Valverde, and Manuel Carbonell were added to the sculpture presentation.

• 2007

  Portes des Iris approved for civil ceremonies

  [1]Vullierens Castleen.wikipedia.org

  The State of Vaud approved Portes des Iris as a location for civil ceremonies.

• 1998

  Collonges farm converted into Portes des Iris

  [1]Vullierens Castleen.wikipedia.org

  The former agricultural farm was restored and converted into a modular event and hospitality venue.

• 1979

  Historic cellar restored

  [1]Vullierens Castleen.wikipedia.org

  The château's historic wine cellar was restored in work associated with Gilbert Hammel of Rolle.

• 1890

  Transfer to the Bovet family

  [1]Vullierens Castleen.wikipedia.org

  In the late nineteenth century, Georgina de Mestral transferred the estate through marriage to Samuel Bovet; the Bovet family remains associated with ownership.

• 1770

  Orangery rebuilt

  [1]Vullierens Castleen.wikipedia.org

  The estate's orangery was rebuilt during the late eighteenth century, approximately between 1770 and 1780.

• 1712

  Present château completed

  [1]Vullierens Castleen.wikipedia.org

  The principal residence and its early outbuildings were completed as part of the de Mestral estate reconstruction.

• 1706

  Reconstruction of the present château begins

  [1]Vullierens Castleen.wikipedia.org

  Gabriel-Henri de Mestral began replacing the deteriorated medieval residence with a French classical country château.

• Construction of the first fortified residence

  [1]Vullierens Castleen.wikipedia.org

  Pierre de Duin built the first documented fortified house on the Vullierens site, known as Château-Vieux.

A heritage château estate that combines Swiss cultural preservation with horticultural tourism, contemporary art, wine production, and destination events.

• Garden attraction

  Jardin d'Iris

  The estate's signature garden experience, developed during the twentieth century by Doreen Bovet. It presents nearly 50,000 irises representing more than 400 varieties, together with seasonal tulips, rhododendrons, peonies, roses, and lilies arranged across seven themed garden areas.

• Events and hospitality · 1998

  Portes des Iris

  A restored former farm converted in 1998 into a multi-room event venue. It provides spaces for weddings, civil ceremonies, company events, and private functions, with adaptable rooms, an attic venue, outdoor terraces, and views toward Lake Geneva and the Alps.

• Wine

  Vullierens estate wines

  Wine produced from more than seven hectares of estate vineyards south of the château. Plantings include Chasselas, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Gamaret, Garanoir, and Galotta. The estate describes manual harvesting, yield limitation, maturity monitoring, and grape sorting as part of its production approach.

• Cultural tourism

  Historic château and gardens

  A heritage visit centered on the eighteenth-century French classical château, surviving medieval towers and retaining walls, formal gardens, agricultural outbuildings, and the estate's cultural landscape. The entire architectural ensemble is protected as a Swiss cultural property of national importance.

• Arts and culture

  Contemporary sculpture exhibitions

  An outdoor art program presenting steel, wood, and mixed-media works in the gardens. Artists associated with the program include Manuel Torres, Beverly Pepper, Mireille Fulpius, Christian Lapie, Pol Quadens, Laura Ford, Dorothy Cross, Carles Valverde, and Manuel Carbonell.

• 2007

  Secure civil-ceremony venue approvalOther

  Background

  The restored Portes des Iris facility was already being used as an event venue.

  Action taken

  The State of Vaud approved Portes des Iris as an exceptional location for civil ceremonies.

  Aftermath

  The approval strengthened the venue's role in wedding and destination-event services.

  Source

• 1998

  Convert the Collonges farm into a public event venueStrategy

  Background

  The former farm was an agricultural building associated with the estate's eighteenth-century reconstruction.

  Action taken

  The farm was restored, redesigned, and renamed Portes des Iris, with modular rooms for cultural, corporate, wedding, and private events.

  Aftermath

  The venue broadened the estate's public and commercial role, with proceeds intended to support conservation of the castle and property.

  Source

• 1706

  Replace the medieval residence with a French classical châteauStrategy

  Background

  After Gabriel-Henri de Mestral obtained the seigneury, the medieval castle was described as being in poor condition.

  Action taken

  Mestral demolished most of the medieval residence and commissioned a new country residence with coordinated outbuildings on the historic site.

  Aftermath

  The resulting ensemble became an early Swiss example of French classical château architecture while retaining two medieval towers and other site remnants.

  Source

1. 1Vullierens Castleen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Château de Vullierens official websitechateauvullierens.ch