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Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Castagne, also called ostal de la Castanha en Occitan, is a large 16th century building located in Rabastens, Tarn. Although sometimes referred to as a castle, it is more of a private hotel, once surrounded by chestnut trees that gave it its name. Today, it houses the Puységur private school complex, named after the family of Chastenet de Puységur, the last historical owner of the site.

The building was built in the 16th century by the Delherm family. In 1621 he briefly welcomed Duke Henri II of Montmorency, governor of Languedoc, who was treated there after the siege of Montauban. In the 17th century, the castle passed into the hands of Pierre Desplats, Baron de Gragnague, by alliance with Françoise de Caulet, heiress of Delherm. The latter, the mortar president of the Toulouse parliament, played a role in the sale of the royal estates of Rabastens in 1639.

In the 18th century, the castle was profoundly rebuilt, even rebuilt, under the impetus of the Chastenet de Puységur family. Louis-Pierre de Chastenet de Puységur, Count and Secretary of State for War (1727–1807), resides there. During the Revolution, the castle was requisitioned as a prison, then sold as a national property before being bought by Angélique de Chastenet de Puységur. He remained in this family until the early 20th century, before becoming a Carmelite convent under Joseph Lauzeral.

In 1977, a contract of association with the state transformed the castle into a private school complex, the Puységur school, still active today. The building, renovated in 2009, retains ties with the family of Chastenet de Puységur, although its management is now in school. Its history reflects the political and social upheavals of Languedoc, from the Old Regime to the present day.

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