History
article | Reading time5 min
For over 800 years, the red ship of Castelnau-Bretenoux has dominated the Dordogne valley. Discover the history of this fortified castle, designed to be impregnable and saved from ruin by a famous singer !
The castle of the Barons of Castelnau
In the beginning...
In the 11th century, northeastern Quercy came under the control of the Count of Toulouse. Several noble families grew in importance. Among them, the Castelnau family ! A cartulary mentions them for the first time around 1100. Baron Hugues is said to have begun the construction of a "new castle", castel nau in Occitan.
Feudal wars did not spare the Castelnau family ! Tensions mounted when the Viscount of Turenne became the new overlord. It's hard not to submit to a formidable neighbor whose lands surround you on all sides... To escape his authority, in 1280 the barons finally placed themselves under the protection of the King of France, who had taken possession of the southwest.
By the end of the Middle Ages, the barony was growing in power. In the 14th century, the barons inherited the numerous possessions of the Calmont d'Olt family in Aveyron, became influential at the court of Pope Jean XXII, and joined forces with the Caylus family of Rouergue in the 15th century.
© David Bordes - Centre des monuments nationaux
From medieval wars to peace
The province of Quercy has been at the heart of the Franco-English conflict since the mid 12th century. In this context, Castelnau, built on a dominant rocky spur, became a strategic location ! The residential tower and keep were built in the early 13th century. The castel took on the appearance of a fortified castle !
The progressive reinforcement of the site's defensive system accompanied the barons' rise to power. The imposing gatehouse was added in the 14th century. During the Hundred Years' War (1337-1456), the castle withstood the onslaughts of companies of mercenaries who nevertheless devastated the territory...
At the end of the 14th century, the French reconquest of English Aquitaine definitively integrated the barony into the kingdom of France. Successive powerful lords, backed by royal support, gave the château its definitive form over the next two centuries. With the addition of two further main buildings and a new artillery tower, Castelnau's famous triangular layout was fixed forever !
© Pascal Lemaître - Centre des monuments nationaux
From fortified castle to luxury residence
In 1530, the Clermont-Lodève family inherited the Castelnau-Clermont-Caylus estate. The 16th century was marked by the management of Louise de Bretagne-Avaugour, widow of the baron, who divided her life between the court of Catherine de Médicis and her beloved Castelnau. In the following century, her grandson Alexandre led a lavish life ! The austere château-fort was transformed into a luxurious residence: painted ceilings, wide openings, a grand balcony opening onto the valley, arcaded galleries...
© Pascal Lemaître - Centre des monuments nationaux
End of a dynasty and dark times
In the early 18th century, Jeanne d'Albert de Luynes, widow of Baron Louis Guilhem and bereaved of his only child, received the Castelnau-Clermont-Lodève estates. The end of a prestigious lineage ! His descendants, attached to their Parisian lives, lost interest in Castelnau.
The château was not spared by the Revolution: its archives were looted and the drawbridge was symbolically dismantled. In the 19th century, times were hard... Castelnau passed from hand to hand, from project to project. In 1844, it narrowly escaped demolition. It was saved by the Prefect of the Lot and Inspector Calvet of the newly-formed Commission des Monuments Historiques. But it was not out of the woods... A fire destroyed it in 1851. Small consolation: despite the damage, the château was listed as a historic monument in 1862 !
© Reproduction de Jean-Luc Paillé - Centre des monuments nationaux
Rescue and rebirth of Castelnau
In 1896 , Jean Mouliérat bought the château, touched by its sad silhouette. This star of the Paris Opéra-Comique, born and bred in the Lot, devoted his fortune and energy to restoring it ! He installed his extensive collection of furniture, paintings, tapestries, statuary and objets d'art from all periods. Stone sculptures create a romantic setting outside. A friend of the artists and intellectuals of his time, he welcomed many famous personalities to Castelnau, including the sculptor Rodin, and well known authors Colette and Willy...
Mouliérat died in 1932, having donated the château and its collections to the French state. In accordance with his wishes, the apartments we visit today remain just as he had decorated them.
Today, the monument is managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux.
© Pascal Lemaître - Centre des monuments nationaux