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Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Mercuès, located in the municipality of the same name in the Lot, is mentioned as Camp de Mercure in the seventh century. Although the oldest parts date from the 13th century, its construction is attributed to the bishops of Cahors, who made it a strategic fortress to protect the city from British attacks and road gangs ravaging the Midi. This castle, described as an advanced sentinel, played a key role during medieval wars, strengthening the defenses of the Lot Valley.

Between the 7th and 18th centuries, the castle served as a summer residence for the Counts-Bishops of Cahors, who sent official documents, such as the mandate of the Grand Pardon of Rocamadour in 1666. After the Revolution, he changed hands several times: confiscated in 1793, he was bought by Bishop Bardou in 1861, who bequeathed him to the Petit Séminaire de Montfalcon. Bishop Grimardias, a friend of the arts, tried to restore his splendour to him before the 1905 law turned him into a state property and then a private residence.

In the 20th century, the castle became a place of resistance and collaboration during the Second World War. Purchased in 1913 by doctor Jean-Louis Faure, it will house Jewish children fleeing the occupied area in 1939, thanks to the Israelite work of country stays (OSC). Paradoxically, Faure, involved in the collaboration, also organized a civic center for young vichysts. On 22 November 1942, a secret meeting sealed the rally of the Compagnons de France to the Resistance (Alliance network).

Ranked a historic monument in 1947 for its facades and roofs, the castle was transformed into a restaurant by the Faure girls and then a gourmet hotel under Georges Héreil (1966). The latter, president of Chrysler France, developed a 35 hectare vineyard and joined the Relais & Châteaux network. Today, 4 stars, the estate combines luxury accommodation, starry cuisine (1 Michelin macaron) and wine production, perpetuating its medieval and resistant heritage.

The vineyard, planted with high density (6,666 feet/hectare), produces red wines based on Malbec, Merlot and Tannat, as well as a soft white Chenin. The hotel's rooms, decorated according to historical times (Louis XVI, Art Deco...), include unique details such as a sundial embedded in the parquet floor of the bishop's room. The restaurant, located in the former dining room of the Counts-Bishops, honors truffle, saffron and Malbec, emblems of the gastronomy of Lotoise.

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