Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Saint-Privat, located in Vers-Pont-du-Gard in the Gard, is built on the site of an old Gallo-Roman villa, with remains of a 12th century fort still visible. The estate, marked by three square towers with bosses, underwent major redevelopments between the 15th and 18th centuries, reflecting its architectural evolution throughout the eras. He was a long-time member of the Faret family (1451–65), who carried out important works there, before passing into the hands of Thomas Calderon (1865–1916), descendant of the Spanish playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca, who rebuilt the gardens in the 19th century.

In 1916, Jacques Rouché, director of the Opéra de Paris and then of the Réunion des Musées Nationales, acquired the domain and radically transformed the outdoor spaces. He replaced the vegetable garden with a French-style garden inspired by Achille Duchêne, added a water buffet imitating that of La Mogère in Montpellier, and in 1922 commissioned his friend Georges Desvallières to decorate the 18th century chapel. The oil on canvas paintings evoke the sacrifice of the First World War, experienced by the artist in the trenches. This place thus becomes a unique artistic and memorial testimony.

Ranked Historic Monument in 1992 and 1995, the castle retains protected elements such as 18th century woodwork, decorated chapel, terraced gardens, and a fortified farm and cooler. After having belonged to Bernadette Fenwick, granddaughter of Jacques Rouché, the estate was sold in 2018 for €4,997,145 to four new owners, three of whom became known in 2019: Christophe Subreville, Jean-Pascal Cordesse and Camille Gerbino. The site now combines architectural, landscape and historical heritage, marked by centuries of cultural transformations and influences.

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