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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The tower of honour, located in Lesparre-Médoc en Gironde, is the last vestige of a feudal castle built in the 14th century, although a castello was mentioned in the 12th century under the name of Sparra. This castle, linked to Alienor d'Aquitaine and Henri Plantagenet, became an Anglo-Gascon fief for three centuries, until 1453. It was a major power center in Medoc, frequented by troubadours like Amouric de Belenoi and Pey de Corbian.

The fortress, rebuilt after 1303, initially consisted of four towers. The current tower, 30 meters high, dates from 1320 and consists of five levels, including a ground floor with dogive cross-sections and a sleep platform with mâchicoulis. Sold as a national property during the Revolution, the castle was almost entirely dismantled, leaving only this tower, classified as a historical monument in 1913.

In the Middle Ages, Lesparre's sires, like Florimont de Lesparre, marked local history, some going on a crusade or defying kings, such as Pierre de Lusignan. The castle changed its hands among the families of Madaillan, Albret, Foix and others, before being bought by the commune in 1840. Today, the tower houses a museum dedicated to medocaine history and traditions.

According to 19th-century surveys, the enclosure of the castle had an irregular hexagonal form, protected by marshes and a stream. The dungeon, the most advanced point of the polygon, had a double arched vault, characteristic of medieval military architecture. The visible taskron marks testify to its construction in the early 14th century.

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