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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de La Rigaudière is a Charentaise house built in the 18th century for the Froger family of La Rigaudière, in a classic style. It replaces a noble house of the 17th century, attested from 1636, acquired in 1654 by André II Froger, merchant in salt and Protestant shipowner. This first residence, depicted on a map of 1706 as a U-building, belonged to his son André III Froger, lieutenant of ship anobli in 1711.

The present castle was built between 1759 and 1776 (or between 1774 and 1776 according to certain sources) by André Alexandre Froger de La Rigaudière, naval officer and seigneur of the place, thanks to the revenues from mines and forests. During the Revolution, he escaped destruction through the non-migration of his owner. Passed by inheritance to his daughters, he remained in the descendants of the Froger and then the Bouët du Portal until 2015.

Ranked a historic monument in 1996, the castle includes a body of imperial roofed houses, communes in return for square, and a registered park. Its interiors preserve Louis XV woodwork and 18th century fireplaces. The estate was awarded the Sazerac Prize in 1998 for its preservation.

The seigneury of La Rigaudière, linked to an influential Protestant family, illustrates the social ascent of the rock traders under the Old Regime. The Frigers, naval officers and parliamentarians, marked local history by their commitment to maritime commerce and their integration into the nobility.

Architecturally, the castle embodies regional classicism, with a central courtyard and symmetrical outbuildings. Its park, typical of 18th-century gardens, completes an ensemble representative of Saintongese heritage.

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