Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Penne, built from the Merovingian period, was mentioned for the first time in 825 during the visit of the king of Aquitaine Pépin. In the 12th century, it became a strategic fiefdom, linked to the Viscounts of Albi and the Templars, although they never owned them. His defensive role was affirmed during regional conflicts, particularly between the local lords and the Counts of Toulouse, who took over around 1176.

During the Albigois Crusade (1208–129), the castle of Penne, held by Cathar lords, was fiercely contested. In 1223, Amaury de Montfort seized it before it was taken over by heretics. After the Treaty of Meaux (1229), the Count of Toulouse had to yield it to the Crown, but the lords of Penne resisted until 1271, when the estate was definitively integrated into royal possessions. Alphonse de Poitiers, Count of Toulouse, even installed his archives there before his death.

The Hundred Years' War marked a new turning point: the castle was held in turn by the English (1365, 1384–1451) and the French (1374). Dismantled in 1586, it fell into ruins for 420 years, before being bought in 1980 by Me Breuil, then in 2006 by architect Axel Letellier. The latter launched a restoration program (2009–2011), allowing its reopening to the public in 2010. The remains, classified as a historical monument in 1902, still bear witness to its military past.

Architecturally, the castle marries a 150-metre-long rocky piton, with a lower courtyard, a castle with two towers (XIIIth and XIVth centuries), and a dungeon surrounded by a pierced enclosure. The village, nestled at the foot of the ridge, developed in the hollow of a shoulder. The fortress, perched 120 m above Aveyron, controlled a strategic axis between Toulouse and the forest of the Gresigne.

Recent excavations and restorations have revealed remarkable medieval elements, such as an assommoir and an almost intact dock hall. The annual budget of the works (€80 000) is partly financed by the Occitanie region and the Tarn department. Today, the site attracts visitors for its turbulent history and exceptional view of the valley.

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