No, we don't say: the castle of Cazeneuve, but the ROYAL castle of Cazeneuve, and that changes everything! And you will see that it explains a lot of things. The castle is built on a bank of rocks which dominates the confluence of the Ciron and the Honburens stream: a romantic-quiet spot for those who need a real break.
Say, tell me the story of the Royal Castle of Cazeneuve
The first mention of a castle dates back to 1253. It already belongs to the Albret family. Built in the XNUMXth or XNUMXth century, at the time it was more like a stone or wooden tower built on top of a mound. Amanieu VII d'Albret subsequently built a much larger stone castle, including the original motte and a large barnyard. Inside, a real village, called at the time Cazeneuve.
The castle became one of the favorite residences of the Albrets who occupied it at least until the beginning of the XNUMXth century. At the end of the XNUMXth century, Henri IV assigned his wife, Queen Margot, to reside there. It must be said that the castle became a very popular residence for crowned heads, who stayed there to recharge their batteries, hunt, breathe. Even Louis XIV will be seduced. Later, it passed to the Pons family, then to Count Dubois de Lamothe who left it to the Count of Sabran-Pontevès.
From the first castle, there remains the motte, as an eternal nod to the modest origins of the building.
The buildings of the current castle surround a large courtyard on two levels. A bridge spans the ditch separating the castle from the esplanade located in front and leads to a beautiful gate, opened in a thick wall crowned by a walkway lined with balustrades. In the ground of the court is dug a staircase which leads to an underground fountain. To the west of the courtyard, common areas built in the XNUMXth century lean on the medieval wall.
You will enter the Mannerist-style castle, with a program of refinement and artifice: a vaulted ground floor, rooms served by a gallery, a large living room with a carved decoration of foliage, cornucopias other marble works, numerous sculpted and decorated fireplaces: and this is only a foretaste!
At the heart of the castle, an engraved writing symbolizes the significant stay of Queen Margot and what could be her confinement mantra:
“there are no ugly loves, no more beautiful prisons”.
During your visit-discovery, you will even find a large chapel with three vaulted naves, in the Gothic style. Fully furnished from the period, still owned by the same family, the castle awaits your visit. Its magnificent adjoining park, the bamboo grove and the mysterious grotto where Queen Margot honored her trysts are worth a detour! (winking emoticon)
Royal Castle of Cazeneuve
Prechac
Castle and park classified as Historic Monuments – Natura 2000 site
To see and do, near the Royal Castle of Cazeneuve
Collegiate Church of Uzeste
In the heart of the Clementine territory, north of the Château de Cazeneuve, here is the village of Uzeste, founded in the XNUMXth century.
century by the family of Bertrand de Got. The latter, named Pope, under the name of Clement V in 1305, trans-
forms the village church into a Collegiate Church, in the purest Gothic style. The building becomes one of the most beautiful mo-
numents of the kind from the South-West of France. It houses the tomb, in black Carrara marble, of Pope Clement V and is one of the eight papal necropolises in France.
