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Origin and history

The Capchicot Fort House is a building located in the town of Capchicot, in the department of Lot-et-Garonne (Nouvelle-Aquitaine). Built between the 16th century and the first quarter of the 17th century, it is distinguished by its historical role linked to the French kingship. This house served as a hunting appointment for Henry IV, then king of Navarre, during his stay in Nerac between 1577 and 1587. Its strategic and social importance is attested by letters of annoyance granted in 1597 by Henry IV to the master of the place.

Beyond its cynegetic use, Capchiot was a step for military and political figures. In 1620 the Marshal of Praslin and Bassompierre, colonel-general of the Swiss, stayed there during the campaign of Louis XIII. However, his history was marked by violence: in 1646, the lord of Capchicot and his son were murdered in a quarrel of precedence with the son-in-law of the lord of Allons. During the Fronde, troops of the Condé army occupied the place to ransom the vicinity of Casteljaloux, before looting and burning the house in part.

After these events, the lords of Capchicot gradually abandoned the site to their castle in Aillas, while preserving it until 1880. Although the ground floor holes and roof have been modified, the interior retains a picturesque character, despite the absence of ancient decorations. Ranked a historic monument in 1998 for its facades and roofs, the fortified house today bears witness to this turbulent past, mixing royal hunting, local intrigues and armed conflicts.

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