Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Condres, located in the commune of Saint-Bonnet-de-Montauroux (Lozère, Occitanie region), is a strong house whose present appearance is the result of two major works. The first, begun in 1624, gave him a fortified silhouette with round path, scauguettes and large cross windows illuminating rooms with French-painted ceilings. These elements reflect a desire for modernization while maintaining a defensive character, typical of the seigneurial residences of the time.

A second campaign, carried out in the 18th century, introduced comfort improvements: a flat forebody on the façade, an up-to-date central staircase with ironwork railings, and the creation of walled rooms with plastered ceilings. The gypsies of the salon, dated from the 1780s, as well as the painted ceilings testify to a refined aesthetic research. The castle, classified as a historical monument in 2011, thus illustrates the evolution of aristocratic lifestyles between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

Historically, the castle belonged in 1459 to Gouin de Sinzelles, before passing to the family of Chastel, then to the Malbec de Montjoc by alliance. Hélène de Chastel de Condres, wife of Louis de Malbec de Montjoc in 1645, is a key figure in this transmission. Their descendant, MP Barnabé-Louis-Gabriel-Charles Malbec Montjoc, was still there in the early 19th century. In addition, Cardinal François-Joachim of Pierre de Bernis (1715–94) was linked to the family by his mother, Marie-Élisabeth de Chastel de Condres, stressing the dynastic importance of the place.

Ranked for the first time in 1975 and then registered in 2010, the castle was finally fully protected by a December 2011 decree covering the entire building and its frame (cadastre C 1135). Its hybrid architecture, blending medieval heritage and classical influences, makes it a remarkable testimony of the Lozerian heritage.

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