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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Morin Castle is an 18th-century building located in Bassens, Gironde, New Aquitaine. This monument, partially destroyed by a fire in 2001, consists of a house surrounded by a garden, with remains of agricultural outbuildings to the west and the ruins of a chapel to the east. Its architecture, attributed to the Bordeaux architect Louis Combes, includes a body of houses with an anterior facade with two lateral forebodys framed by a terrace, while the posterior façade features a central forebody crowned with a carved pediment. The decorative elements, such as the balustrades, the adorned skylights and the carved chimneys, reflect the style of the era.

The chapel, with a semicircular apse, is decorated with a curved pediment and illuminated by two windows. Inside, the castle kept reception rooms with gilded panels, antique fireplaces and ironwork, as well as a stone staircase with wrought iron ramp. Historical records mention its construction in 1785 by Sieur Acquart, a Bordeaux merchant, for his country house. A project by Louis Combes also concerns the fence and the gate, visible on plans of 1822 and 1824. Ranked a historic monument in 1965 for its facades, roofs and interior woodwork, the castle, sold in 1998, is now in poor condition after the 2001 fire.

The estate initially extended to the polder, bordering the plateau overlooking the Garonne. The current remains include a court of honor preceded by a wrought iron gate, an old chapel, and traces of a park side esplanade. The works of architect Louis Combes, known for his achievements in Bordeaux, suggest a stylistic unit in construction. Despite the damage, Morin Castle still bears witness to 18th-century aristocratic residential architecture in Gironde, combining classical elegance and agricultural functionality.

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