Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Lasserre, located in the department of Lot-et-Garonne, finds its origins in the 13th century with the mention of a castrum in 1259, property of Armand-Loup and Géraud de Lasserre, vassaux d'Alphonse de Poitiers. This medieval site, called La Salle, dominated the Baisian valley. Over the centuries, the fief changed hands: in 1487, it belonged to Louis de Montagut, then in 1570 to Jean-Paul d'Esparbes de Lussan by his marriage to Catherine-Bernarde de Montagut, lady of La Serre. The family of Esparbes kept Lasserre until the 18th century, deeply marking its history.

The construction of the present castle began between 1595 and 1602, initiated by Jean-Paul d'Esparbes de Lussan, Senechal d'Agenais and Governor of Blaye. The latter used the Parisian architect Marin de la Vallée, a young mason, to build a residential building, far from the defensive cannons of the time. The works, documented by preserved contracts, also involve local entrepreneurs such as Laurent Bouchet or Jean Rocques. In 1596, the south-west wing was completed, but the construction continued until 1598, when Paul Vaudoyer, another Parisian architect, took over to finalize the interior fittings, including three monumental chimneys.

The castle remained in the family of Esparbes until the 18th century, before passing to the Narbonne-Pelet, then to the Digeon de Monteton by marriage in 1754. The latter turned it into a model farm at the turn of the 19th century. In 1835, at the end of the lineage, the estate fell to Leopold de Gervain, who undertook major restorations between 1851 and 1860, modernizing the facades and demolishing the medieval tower. Ranked a historic monument in 1926, the castle now embodies an architectural testimony of the Renaissance in New Aquitaine, mixing seigneurial heritage and subsequent adaptations.

The castle architecture is organized around a central courtyard, flanked by four towers and surrounded by ditches. The main house, extended by a cellar, reflects a typical distribution of noble dwellings of the era. The chapel, added in 1625, and the interior decorations (like the fireplaces of Vaudoyer) underline the fascist sought by its sponsors. Historical sources, including Georges Tholin's work, reveal meticulously planned construction, combining Parisian know-how and local labour.

The castle of Lasserre also illustrates the social changes of the Agenese: first medieval fortress, it becomes an aristocratic residence in the Renaissance, then an agricultural farm in the 18th to 19th centuries. His inscription in the title of historical monuments in 1926 consecrated his heritage value, while the archives (contracts, stone inscriptions) offered valuable insight into the construction techniques and the artisanal networks of the period.

External links