After making fortune thanks to the construction of the Alger-Constantine railroad viaducts, he decided to conceive himself all the plans of the Château and the growing buildings in order to have a modern and perfectly structured domain.
After becoming Saint-Lager’ mayor, he created the local first mutual aid society.
As his unique son died during the 1870 war, he decided to adopt his niece, Mathilde Courbe, to whom he left his entire fortune.
Strong-willed woman, she efficiently takes care herself of the entire management of her domain. Her wines obtain a bronze medal at the agricultural contest of the world exhibition in 1900. With the exact same generosity and goodwill as her uncle, she makes an important donation to the hospital of Belleville to keep a bed for the in-need ills of Saint-Lager. President of the Beaujolais Red Cross, she also installs and finances, within the Château, a military hospital during the First World War.
With no descendant, she left all her goods to the Pasteur Institut in 1937. Only Château des Ravatys was inalienable.
It is only in 1990 that the Château and the Orangerie are entirely modernized to welcome public. Seminars happen in the Château’s lounges, tastings in the caves. Speaking of the gala dinners, conferences, weddings, exhibits, and concerts, they take place in the Orangerie. Regarding sport activities, they are all organized in the park.
More recently, the 20th of June 2002, Mrs Rampon, owner of Côte de Brouilly vines, mentions in her will that she donates part of it to the Pasteur Institut. The entirety of the profits of the wine sales and the Château’s activities is donated to the Pasteur Institut to support research for human and their health.
In December 2020, the Pasteur Institut decides to concentrate on research mainly to fight against the COVID-19 virus and sells the domain to the Lavorel family.
Today, the Lavorel family, from Lyon, is the proud owner of the estate and wishes to continue its management while maintaining tradition and know-how.
