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Origin and history

The castle Peychotte, nicknamed "square house of Arlac", is a neoclassical madness built between 1785 and 1789 on the domain of Arlac, in Mérignac (Gironde). Sponsored by Samuel Charles Peixotto, a banker of Portuguese origin, it was designed by the architect Jean-Baptiste Dufart according to the neo-palladian cannons. This building, symbol of the bustle of the Bordeaux bourgeoisie, is distinguished by its dome-shaped rotunda and its southern facade decorated with a Corinthian colonnade.

Originally owned by the Mendes family, the estate passed into the hands of Samuel Peixotto in 1768, who had it rebuilt before losing it for debt in 1805. Rached by the Rodrigues-Henriquez, then by the doctor Élie Gintrac in 1827, the castle served in turn as a laboratory (silkworm breeding, venin study), a military hospital during the First World War, and was occupied by the Germans from 1940 to 1944. Abandoned after 1962, he was saved in 1990 by the city of Mérignac, which began its restoration.

Listed as a historical monument in 1983, the Château Peychotte must become a Maison des arts by 2027. Its architecture, inspired by the castle of Rastignac (Dordogne) and the White House, is characterized by a rotunda lounge on two levels, a circular gallery for musicians, and a landscaped park now partially urbanized. The restoration was financed by the municipality, the DRAC, the General Council and the Aquitaine region.

The estate illustrates the establishment in Gironde of Portuguese Jewish families fleeing the Inquisition, such as the Peixotto, whose name was francized. Its history also reflects the economic and social changes of Bordeaux, from Enlightenment to post-Second World War reconstruction, to 19th century real estate speculation.

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