Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Dufour mansion is located in Saint-Justin, south of Place des Tilleuls, in a bastide marked by arcades on the ground floor. It is part of an older ensemble, the Castel, owned by the family of Abadie d'Aydrein, whose origins date back to the 16th century. This historic site was profoundly redesigned in the 19th century to form a coherent ensemble, combining disparate elements such as a polygonal tower, an 18th century mansion and medieval outbuildings.

In 1886 Gustave Dufour entrusted the architect Elie du Cor de Duprat with the task of assembling these buildings and adding an extended wing to the square. This extension houses the cabinet of curiosity of Léon Dufour (1780–65), a Dutch physician and naturalist, whose herbarium is now preserved in the Bordeaux botanical garden. The structure makes extensive use of the traditional wood panel and is part of a heritage and scientific development project.

The manor house, classified as a Historical Monument in its entirety by decree of 22 November 2024, illustrates the fusion between architectural heritage and cultural ambition. Its location in the heart of the bastide, as well as its link with the Dufour family and the work of Léon Dufour, make it a unique witness to local history and the naturalistic knowledge of the 19th century.

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