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Origin and history

The castle of Geniez, also called Geniez or Geniès, is a historical monument located in the municipality of Sauliac-sur-Célé, in the department of Lot en Occitanie. Its origins date back to at least the 13th century, although the first definite mention of the castle dates from 1459-1461, during a trial involving Antoine Geniez, lord of the borie de Geniez. Research suggests that a 13th-century tower, originally linked to the Cardaillac family, would have been integrated into later constructions.

The lords of Geniez, from a line of knights mentioned in 1257, were vassals of the Cardaillacs and the abbots of Marcilhac, to whom they were to pay tribute. Geniez's family adopted Protestantism during the Wars of Religion. In 1569, the castle was a home of tension between Catholics and Protestants, and in 1573 it was attacked and ruined by Catholics. Gilbert I of Geniès, his owner, was imprisoned in Cahors where he was allegedly murdered.

After these conflicts, the castle changed hands several times. In 1610 it was sold to Jean Viguier de Fraust, lord of Souilhol, who undertook reconstruction work. In the 18th century, Jacques Salgues, notary of Sauliac, transformed it into a more modern residence, adding windows with segmental arches and a loggia opening onto the Célé. Abandoned in 1943, the castle was restored from 1970 by its heirs and registered as historical monuments in 1995.

Architectural studies indicate that most of the present castle dates back to the 15th century, although an older tower, crowned with machicolis, was preserved. The works of Gilles Séraphin and Valérie Rousset highlight the evolution of the site, moving from a medieval borie to a seigneurial home, then to a farm. The castle thus illustrates the social and architectural transformations of Quercy between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

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