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Origin and history

Châteldon Castle, probably built in the 12th century, is a castle located in the heart of the village of Châteldon, in the north of Puy-de-Dôme. Its initial construction dates back to this period, but it was rebuilt from 1489 and partially destroyed and rebuilt in the mid-19th century. The chapel, dating from the early 14th century, bears witness to its medieval history, while its frescoes and architecture reflect successive architectural developments.

Over the centuries, the castle changed hands more than 38 times, sheltering influential families like the Aycelin de Montaigut or Rodrigue de Villandrando. In 1433, under the seigneury of the latter, he underwent a siege led by Anglo-bourguignon looters, an event marked by a local patoise song. A legend tells that an English chief was killed at the place called Death Gate, and that a nearby field served as a cemetery for soldiers.

In 1931, Pierre Laval, a native of Châteldon and major political figure of the Vichy regime, acquired the castle for 200,000 francs. He undertook important work and lived there between 1942 and 1944, even wishing to be buried there. After the Liberation, the castle was requisitioned to accommodate survivors of concentration camps and prisoners of war. Returned in 1948 to the daughter of Laval, Josée de Chambrun, he became the property of the eponymous foundation that she created with her husband. Ranked a historic monument in 1926, it is not open to the public.

The architectural elements of the castle reflect its many transformations: the lower courtyard and stables date from the 12th and 13th centuries, while the attic, with a staircase and fireplaces of the 18th century, illustrates the later additions. The frescoes of the chapel, the bas-reliefs of the stables and the traces of the medieval seats make it a privileged witness of local history, from the feudal period to the Second World War.

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