Logo Musée du Patrimoine

All French heritage classified by regions, departments and cities

  2. Patrimoine
  3. Nouvelle-Aquitaine
  4. Pyrénées-Atlantiques
  5. 64270 Labastide-Villefranche

  6. Bijou Castle

 Bijou Castle à Labastide-Villefranche dans les Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine défensif
Demeure seigneuriale
Château de style éclectique et baroque
Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Bijou Castle

    Le Bourg
    64270 Labastide-Villefranche
Photo de Bijou Castle
Crédit photo : Jean Michel Etchecolonea - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1300
…
1800
1900
2000
1292
Labastide-Villefranche Foundation
XIXe siècle
Transformation by Mrs Combes
2009
Repurchase by Mr Vidalinc
2022
Heritage Lotto Selection
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

To be preserved and rehabilitated: the estate of the Château Bijou composed of the following built and not built parts: the castle (Box B 352); the chapel (Box B 354); the cloister (Box B 355); by this the gardens (Box B 271, 272); the lake (Box B 73); the pier (Box B 353); the freshwater reserve (cf. D 515): classification by decree of 21 April 2008

Key figures

Madame Combes (née Saint-Macary) - Owner and patron Turned the gentilhommière into an eclectic castle.
M. Vidalinc - Current Owner Started restoration since 2009.
Stéphane Bern - Porter of the Heritage Lotto Financial support in 2022.

Origin and history

The Château Bijou finds its origins in a simple gentilhommière built by a certain Dussine. In the 19th century, Madame Combes, born Saint-Macary, undertook colossal works to transform it into a picturesque castle, decorated with a landscaped park. The latter includes a reconstructed 13th-century Breton cloister, a temple of Love, as well as a neo-Gothic chapel that once housed a Serchillan crucifix. The owner even diverted the departmental road to develop his estate according to his wishes.

As a result of a fire that damaged its zinc roof, the castle was abandoned before being bought in 2009 by Mr Vidalinc, who undertook its restoration. In 2022, it was selected from the sites supported by the Lotto du Patrimoine, benefiting from a grant of EUR 256,000 for its preservation. Its eclectic architecture and romantic history make it a symbol of local heritage.

Labastide-Villefranche, founded in 1292 by Marguerite de Béarn to counter English pretensions, was a strategic and religious place. The village, marked by conflicts between Catholics and Protestants, saw its temple destroyed after the revocation of the Edit of Nantes. Château Bijou, although after this troubled time, is part of this rich historical landscape, between medieval heritage and modern transformations.

The castle park, conceived as a romantic setting, reflects the tastes of the 19th century for architectural follies and picturesque gardens. The neo-Gothic chapel, the pier and the reconstructed elements bear witness to a desire to create a dreamlike universe, combining historical and fantasy references. These developments, although partially degraded, remain emblematic of the spirit of the place.

The region, anchored in the Béarn, was a crossroads of influences between France and England, especially during the Wars of Religion. The Château Bijou, although more recent, embodies this duality between local tradition and external inspirations, as evidenced by its Breton or squallian elements. His recent rescue illustrates the contemporary attachment to this hybrid heritage.

External links

Page Wikipedia
Page Monumentum