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Origin and history

The Château Blanat, located in the commune of Saint-Michel-de-Bannières in the Lot, has its origins in the second half of the 15th century. Built for Gausbert de Blanat, co-signor of the place and vassal of the Viscount of Turenne, it consists of a body of houses, two round towers (one of which preserves its mâchicoulis) and a pentagonal tower housing a staircase with screws. This castle of merchants, erected on an esplanade overlooking the Haut-Quercy, reflects the military and residential architecture of the period.

Over the centuries, the castle underwent several transformations. The coat of arms of Marguerite de Sermur, wife of Raymond de Blanat in 1554, suggested some modifications in the 16th century. The facades were redesigned at the end of the 18th century, while a renovation campaign between 1854 and the end of the 19th century added a porch, balconies and raised the pepper tower. A wing housing the chapel, probably destroyed before the Revolution, leaves only remains, like a vaulted cellar.

The history of the castle was marked by a tragedy in 1573: the assassination of Guynot de Blanat, his wife Gabrielle de Reilhac and their intendant, in the grand hall. The motivations remain obscure, attributed sometimes to Protestants led by Antoine de Maleville, sometimes to Jean de Rilhac, the father of Gabrielle, who thus inherits the seigneury. This crime, documented by a detailed trial, later inspired cultural works, such as the novel Le dernier conspiracy des Valois (2016).

After 1573, the castle passed into the hands of Rilhac's family until 1722, when it was sold to settle debts. He then changed owners, including the family of Aupias after the Revolution, then Henri de Pierre de Bernis in the 20th century. The latter transmits the archives of the castle to Abbé Ville, who left them to the Departmental Archives of the Lot in 1954. Although private property, the castle opens on time for municipal events.

The Blanat Castle acquires a cultural reputation in the 20th century. In 1976, Nino Ferrer recorded the album Blanat (released in 1979), whose cover represents the north facade. The building, classified among the Lot castles, also illustrates the influence of merchant and seigneurial families in the Quercy, between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

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