Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Calmels, in Lacaune, finds its origins in the Middle Ages with a first castle. In the 16th century, it was transformed into a hunting residence by the family of Calmels, which added a classified tower-silo, used for horse dressing. These changes mark his transition from a military fortress to an aristocratic place of life, reflecting the evolution of the use of castles in the Renaissance.

In the 19th century, the castle was completely rebuilt by the Naurois family, after Count Gabriel-Paulin Jacobé de Naurois inherited by marriage with Marie-Louise de Cluzel, the last heiress of the seigneurs de Calmels. The count modernizes the building in a Gothic style, while retaining ancient elements such as the 15th century sill windows, now listed as historical monuments. These windows, coming from a missing Renaissance house, were moved in 1938 for preservation.

The castle changed hands several times in the 20th century: sold during the First World War by Ludovic de Naurois, bought by his son Stephen, then acquired by the municipality of Lacaune in 1972. Since then, it has housed municipal services (music school, agricultural room), a reception room, and a cottage. Its park, equipped with an arboretum, and the classified tower-silo complete this versatile heritage, witness to local history.

The present architecture of the castle combines medieval elements (the 16th century tower with arched openings) and 19th century additions, such as the T-shaped house and its dog-assist. The sled windows, inscribed in 1927, illustrate the Renaissance craftsmanship. Their decoration, composed of columns and gables, recalls the influence of the urban homes of the period on rural seigneurial residences.

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