Château de Lavardens

Listed as a Historic Monument in 1961, Lavardens castle was rebuilt by Antoine de Roquelaure, on the ruins of the castle of the Counts of Armagnac. Built on a rocky outcrop, the fortress of the Counts of Armagnac benefited from a vast field of vision which allowed surveillance and security. Born from a love story, this castle takes its current form with the Marshal of France, Antoine de Roquelaure, who built this building for his young wife, Suzanne de Bassabat. Sometimes a noble residence, sometimes a co-ownership with twelve occupants, its uses and transformations were multiple, the castle has lived many lives and adventures over the centuries. Saved by an association, the Château de Lavardens also revolves around an art center hosting exhibitions and events throughout the season. Camille Claudel, Dali, the art of Santon… so many discoveries each year in the many rooms of the castle.

SO SINGULAR ARCHITECTURE

Built on a rocky outcrop, the fortress of the Counts of Armagnac benefited from a vast field of vision which allowed surveillance and security. Only a few vestiges of the medieval castle remain. It is at the western end of the main body of the castle and opposite in the south-eastern wing that the larger remains of the original fortress are preserved. In 1620, Antoine de Roquelaure surrounded himself with two great architects: Pierre Souffron, general architect of the king, and Pierre Levesville, one of the architects of Auch cathedral. The castle uniquely combines the nascent classical taste with the maintained feudal posture.

The Château de Lavardens attracts attention with its exceptional viewpoint, obtained thanks to a balcony developed on three facades, abundant fenestration of immense windows and overhanging turrets. It was designed to enjoy the widest horizon, it is one of the most beautiful views over Gascony. The western towers, built in the 17th century, rest on the buttresses of the medieval castle. They rise cantilevered over corbels or proboscis. The towers are a true architectural feat of the time. They are only places of passage and make it possible to connect the galleries between them. On the south facade, a wooden gallery rested on stone corbels.

By its imposing appearance, the castle makes few concessions to the decoration but it has a beautiful interior decoration: an exceptional set of paving stones from the 17th century. The castle has seventeen rooms with different pavements. They consist of pink bricks (terracotta from the country) and cut stones (light limestone from the country). The motifs, which are different in each of the rooms, seem to have a meaning. We do not know of another monument with such a diversity of pavements.