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Key figures

Origin and history

Comborn Castle, built on a rocky spur overlooking the Vézère in Orgnac-sur-Vézère (Corrèze, Nouvelle-Aquitaine), has its origins in the 11th century. Its oldest parts, such as the substructures and the vaulted crypt in the cradle, date from this period, while the stone dungeon, now partially destroyed, illustrates the architectural evolution of the limousine feudal fortresses. The site, occupied from antiquity, was an oppidum in the ninth century before becoming the cradle of the Viscounty of Comborn, one of the four Viscounties of Lower Limousin in the Xth–XIIIth centuries.

Destroyed during the Hundred Years War (14th-15th centuries), the castle was rebuilt from 1436 by John I of Comborn, who erected a house and a chapel dedicated to Saint Madeleine, consecrated in 1455. The vestiges of this period—refurbished square tower, underground rooms, and enclosure wall—coexist with elements of the seventeenth century, when the castle passed into the hands of the Pompadours, then the lords of Pierre-Buffière. A fire in the middle of the seventeenth century ravaged the building, leading to the reconstruction of the current house in 1753 by the Marquis du Salillant, in a characteristic "Limousin rustic" style.

The castle, a private property for centuries, welcomed historical figures such as Honoré-Gabriel de Mirabeau, who stayed there with his sister, Marquise du Saillant, at the end of the 18th century. In the 19th century, the jurisconsult Jean-Baptiste Sirey inherited it by marriage and preserved it until 2000, while the painter Philippe-Auguste Jeanron died there in 1877. Partially listed as historical monuments in 1985, the site has since 2019 benefited from restoration campaigns supported by the Ministry of Culture and Heritage Foundations, thus preserving its medieval remains and ancient furniture.

Between 2020 and 2024, important works were carried out to safeguard the chapel, the "chambre de Mirabeau" and medieval structures. Although unknown, Comborn Castle remains a major witness to limousine history, mixing military architecture, seigneurial life and cultural heritage. Guided tours and events (conferences, concerts) are organized in summer, perpetuating its local reach.

The protection of the castle covers medieval remains (donjon, crypt, enclosures) and the facades of the 18th century house. Its history reflects the political and social changes of the Limousin, from feudal vicomtes to noble families of the Enlightenment, including 19th-century ruins and contemporary restorations.

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