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Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of La Barthe, located in the Neste valley at La Barthe-de-Neste (Hautes-Pyrénées), was built in the 11th century on the initiative of Mansion-Auriol. This castle, typical of medieval architecture, served as a residence for the Viscounts of Labarthe until 1330, before passing under the control of the Counts of Armagnac and then of the kings of France from 1475.

In the sixteenth century, during the wars of religion, Henry IV ordered his destruction by the senechal of the king of Toulouse. The ruins were then ceded in the 18th century to the Duke of Antin, then bought in 1759 by Pierre de Lassus, lord of Labarthe, whose descendants still own them today.

Today, only part of the dungeon remains of the castle, built in pebbles, silent witness to its tumultuous past. The Neste valley, where it stands, was a strategic place for the control of the Pyrenees and exchanges between the Biscay and Languedoc.

The vicomtes of Labarthe, first occupants, embody the medieval local aristocracy, while its attachment to the French crown under Louis XI marks its political importance. Religious wars and partial destruction reflect the conflicts that have affected the region.

In the 18th century, the castle changed hands between nobles, illustrating the changes in land ownership under the Old Regime. The family of Lassus, the current owner, has perpetuated this historical bond for more than two centuries.

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