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Origin and history

Lauzun Castle, mentioned as early as 1259 in the medieval charters, was originally a fortress controlled by the Caumont family. Its quadrangular dungeon, dated from the end of the 12th or early 13th century, was completed by a room and a primitive chapel. In the 14th century, the seigneury became a baronie, then a county in 1570 under François de Caumont, which received Charles IX and Henri de Navarre (future Henri IV). The Wars of Religion opposed the Protestant and Catholic branches of the family, while the castle, transformed into a duchy in 1692, passed to the Gontaut-Biron in the 18th century.

The Renaissance wing, built from 1576 by Gabriel-Nompar de Caumont, replaced the medieval structures and included a chapel dedicated to Saint Catherine, halls of appartment (king's room, guard room) and a facade decorated with Corinthian columns. In the 17th century, a pavilion called the "Dome" relied the wings, while excavations of the 1990s revealed a peristyle and Roman remains, including a votive altar of the 2nd century. The castle, partially destroyed after 1807, was restored in the 20th century and classified as a Historical Monument for its chimneys, altar and facades.

The seigneury of Lauzun, attested from 1211 with Nompar de Caumont, passed into the hands of the Gontaut-Biron in 1723. Armand-Louis de Gontaut, last Duke, was guillotined in 1793, resulting in the sale of the estate in 1807. Acquired in 1990 by M. and Mme Pierre Baron, the castle was restored for 15 years before being sold again in 2014. Its architecture thus combines medieval defensive elements, Renaissance decorations and classical arrangements, testifying to its evolution over eight centuries.

The village of Lauzun, surrounded by ramparts in the 13th century, developed around the castle, whose ditches and two towers remain. During the Hundred Years' War, the site was briefly occupied in 1438 by Spanish mercenaries. Archaeological excavations also revealed a double peristyle linking the wings, now partially destroyed. The courtyard, originally paved, was filled in the 18th century, when the castle, abandoned by its owners, experienced a relative decline before its modern restorations.

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