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Château de Saint-Alban en Lozère

Lozère

Château de Saint-Alban

    21 Rue de L Hôpital
    48120 Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole

Timeline

Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
XIIe siècle
First mention of the castle
1360 et 1414
Road seats
XVIIe siècle
Renaissance transformation
1764–1767
Beast of Gevaudan
1824
Conversion to asylum
1942
Historical monument classification
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Ranked MH

Key figures

Guérin d'Apchier - Baron d'Acchier First lord mentioned in 1188.
François de Molette - Marquis de Morangiès Transforms the Renaissance style castle, 1608–37.
Jean-François-Charles de Molette - Count of Morangiès Organisa hunts against the Beast of Gevaudan.
Frère Hilarion (Joseph-Xavier Tissot) - Religious and doctor Founded the psychiatric asylum in 1824.
François Tosquelles - Catalan Psychiatrist Reformed the hospital from 1941.

Origin and history

The château of Saint-Alban, mentioned in the 12th century, originally belonged to the Barons of Apchier, one of the eight Baronial families of Gevaudan. It was a strategic point on via Podiensis, the road to Santiago de Compostela, and regularly suffered seats, such as that of the roadmen in 1360 or their capture in 1414, which led to the partial destruction of the dungeon. Its medieval architecture, marked by round towers and filled moat, was partially remodeled after these conflicts.

In the 14th century, the castle passed by alliance to the Louet de Calvisson, who added defensive elements and a seigneury. The coat of arms of this family, pale of azure and gules sown with gold roses, were adopted by the city of Saint Alban. In the 17th century, the Molettes de Morangiès, the new owners, gave it a Renaissance style: three-storey gallery, pink arkose sled windows, and portal inspired by Serlio's treatises. François de Molette, chamberlain of Gaston d'Orléans, held receptions for the local nobility.

The castle played a role during the Beast of Gevaudan case (1764–67), serving as the basis for the beatings against the animal. Jean-François-Charles de Molette, Count of Morangiès, coordinated the hunts with Étienne Lafont, although later theories (unsubstantiated) accused him of involvement in the murders. Ruined, his heir sold the estate in 1821 to Sylvain Boissier, who converted him into a psychiatric asylum under the direction of Brother Hilarion (Joseph-Xavier Tissot), a disciple of Esquirol.

After becoming a departmental psychiatric hospital in 1838, the castle welcomed figures such as philosopher Georges Canguilhem or poet Paul Éluard during the Second World War. Francois Tosquelles, Catalan psychiatrist, developed innovative methods there from 1941. A fire in 1972 damaged the roof, subsequently restored. Today, the site still houses a hospital centre, as well as a tourism office and heritage collections in Lozérie.

Ranked a historic monument in 1942, the castle retains medieval elements (northerly towers, filled moats) and Renaissance (galerie, arkose portal). The chapel Saint-Pierre, the facades of the former administrative building and the cemetery of the madmen were registered or classified between 2023 and 2024. Its architecture reflects the successive transformations, from the Hundred Years Wars to the 19th century hospital facilities.

External links