Jean Mouliérat, the last Lord of Castelnau

Jean Mouliérat dans la cour du château aménagée en jardin, en compagnie de son chien Tybalt et de son chat

Let us tell you the incredible story of this man from the Lot who became a tenor at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, saved the château from ruin and donated it to the State!

The voice before its time

Mouliérat's attraction to the beauties of the Lot is no accident... He was born in 1853 in Vers, a village near Cahors. His family moved to Paris when he was still a child.

In 1875, he had been enlisted for three years in the "chasseurs de Vincennes" regiment when he was spotted singing a patriotic tune for his comrades! On the recommendation of the commanding general, he was admitted to the Conservatoire National. Hardly surprising...

When he graduated four years later, having won several interpretation prizes, he was hired almost immediately in a famous Parisian concert hall!

Buste sculpté en bronze de Jean Mouliérat réalisé par Paul Niclausse — Buste de Jean Mouliérat, Paul Niclausse, 1932, Bronze, h. 57cm, Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux
© Photographie Pascal Lemaître - Centre des monuments nationaux © Paul Niclausse - ADAGP

A star of the Opéra-comique

In the château flats, it's impossible to miss the photos of Mouliérat in stage costume! They illustrate a brilliant career spanning almost twenty years at the Opéra-Comique, the Zenith of the age. The young tenor quickly moved from supporting roles to the forefront of the stage.

He was one of the great talents of the troupe, performing five or six operas every year! During the last half of his career, he triumphed inBizet's Carmen , Massenet's Werther, Verdi'sLa Traviata... A consecration for this passionate artist who nevertheless had to put an end to his career due to a serious vocal cord disease.

Jean Mouliérat photographié en habits de scène dans le rôle de Werther, dans l'opéra de Massenet
© Reproduction de Jean-Luc Paillé - Centre des monuments nationaux

Castelnau resurrected!

In 1896, Jean Mouliérat bought the ruins of Castelnau at auction for 20,000 gold francs (the price of a house!).

Behind the singer was a great lover of art and his native region! He devoted the rest of his life to restoring the château. In his new home, he has recreated an atmosphere of legend and mystery by reinventing a historic opera set. In the east wing, he lived in the midst of his collections: antique stained glass windows and objets d'art decorated the bedrooms, lounges and dining room... But Mouliérat didn't forget about conviviality. He had a kitchen installed, and created a truly romantic garden in the courtyard, with palm trees and sculptures, as well as pleasant guest rooms!

Photographie de la cour du château aménagée en jardin à l'époque de Mouliérat
© Reproduction de Jean-Luc Paillé - Centre des monuments nationaux

The friend of the illustrious...

Castelnau de Mouliérat has been the home of many celebrities! The happy owner, who moves away from Paris every summer to return to his château, remains a lively socialite. He met many of the artists and political figures of his day. In his residence in the Lot region, the former tenor entertained many friends and great figures, some of whose names will surely be familiar to you: the writer Colette, the sculptor Auguste Rodin... He even welcomed the last queen of Madagascar, Ranavalona III!