This rural property dating back to 1890 and restored at the start of 1900, situated in the Wépion hills, offers exceptional views over the spectacular River Meuse valley.
In 1908, Aurélien Bayot from Brussels bought the property. He wanted to change it from a rural estate into a chateau and enter into competition with the valley's more attractive properties. As his mother was from the Auvergne, he was inspired by the French style when landscaping the estate.
Bayot was then added to the list of Drion, Wasseige and Grosjean chateaux, with its stables, its outbuildings, its three gardener's houses, its winter garden, its greenhouses for grapes and flowers, its lake, its park, its villa and its chapel.
Aurélien Bayot would buy his shirts from Paris and his gloves and ties in Cannes. He often travelled (33) to Russia and, before the war, the generals of the Russian tsar would visit the chateau.
On May 30th 1914, he passed away. Two months later, the war broke out. On June 4th 1920, Madame Bayot, Aurélien's widow, sold the estate to five Benedictine nuns, of which the oldest, Sister Hildegarde, born in 1881, was the Prioress.
No one could ever have imagined the new role awaiting Château Bayot: Mount Vierge Monastery, from where the name Moûtier comes from.
Ora et Labora, prayer and work. Publishing, binding, printing, imagery for special occasions, making sacerdotal items, they worked flat out.
Unfortunately, the environment did not provide the necessary solitude. The nuns decided to purchase the Marlagne Estate and the property was sold to Mr. Joarlette on September 19th 1928.
Mount Vierge Monastery once again became a chateau, the role that Aurélien Bayot had planned for it. He would have been more than slightly proud to see the two initials, AB, intertwined over the main gate. Religious inscriptions can still be seen on the second floor and in one of the restaurants that the Benedictine nuns used as a Chapter house.
On June 21st 1931, the estate became the property of Mr. Victor Lannoy, an industrialist from Brussels, and also Ambassador to the United States for over 40 years.
Roger Siot, industrialist, founder and director of Sambre et Dyle, as well as many other companies, bought it to indulge his wife, Marguerite Elias de Mollein. It was April 15th 1939. From then onwards, the local people called Château du Moûtier " Château Siot" for over 60 years.
On the death of Marguerite Siot, born Elias de Mollein, the estate was left to one of her daughters, Micky Duysan-Siot, who continues to live there and has placed great emphasis on improving the property, while keeping the name of Moûtier.
Wartime
In 1914, the Château was the headquarters of the German army. The Kronprinz and Tsarist officers stayed there. Prince de Reus went to greet them.
During the same period, 2 English pilots, whose planes had been shot down, were hidden in a cottage next to the stables, out of sight of the German army.
The estate was originally called "Mon Caprice" and, in 1918, when it was occupied by the Canadians, the solders tore down the wooden panelling to burn to keep warm.
In 1944, the château was requisitioned by the American army. Liaison officers from different countries and their batmen stayed there.
After they had left, General Rodges set up his headquarters there with his Algerian company and his following (drivers, staff, cooks, etc) for over six months. He was the last one there after the American divisions had returned to the USA.
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Peace returned to Europe and the years went by…
Do inanimate objects have a soul? The serenity of this placed filled with memories is undeniable proof of this.
And these walls have witnessed many people passing through, including:
Virtual visit of the chateau grounds