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Origin and history

Langoiran Castle, built in the 13th century by the Seguin d'Escoussans family, was a strategic castle of the Entre-deux-Mers in Gironde. Vassals of the lords of Benauges and then directly of the king of England, the Seguins made it a symbol of power in the Duchy of Aquitaine. The site, dominating the Garonne and a valley, combined natural defences (false, ditches) and military architectures, including a cylindrical dungeon among the largest in France.

In 1345, the marriage of Amanieu d'Albret with Mabille Seguin d'Escoussans marked the passage from the castle to Albret, then to Montferrand. The latter, like Bertrand III – Baron de Montferrand and Lord of Rions – played a key role in the Franco-English conflicts. The castle was confiscated by Charles VII in 1453 after the fall of Bordeaux and returned by Louis XI. The Wars of Religion opposed two Montferrand brothers: Charles (Catholic, Governor of Bordeaux) and Guy (Protestant, Chief of Guyenne).

In the 17th century, the castle passed to the Daffis, members of Parliament from Bordeaux. Guillaume Daffis, chief of the Fronde in 1649, caused his destruction by the Duke of Épernon: the dungeon was dynamite and the enclosure burned. Abandoned, the site fell in ruins until its partial restoration from 1972 by the association Les Amis du château de Langoiran, founded by M. and Mme Bibonne. Today, the dungeon preserves medieval frescoes (saint Michael, St Peter), vaulted rooms and traces of the coat of arms of the Seguin.

The castle was also a diplomatic place: in 1578 it hosted a meeting between Henri de Navarre (future Henri IV) and Catherine de Médicis. In 1944 he served as a framework for the German surrender of Bordeaux, signed by Commander Rougés and the leaders of the Resistance. Since 1972, the site combines heritage (visits, medieval festivals) and viticulture, with an estate of 23 hectares in AOC Cadillac.

Architecturally, the 14th century dungeon, with three arched octagonal halls, dominates two courtyards in terraces protected by enclosures. The frescoes of the 14th century, like that of Saint Michael weighing souls, and the Gothic chimneys bear witness to his fascist past. Ranked a historic monument in 1892, it illustrates the evolution of medieval fortresses in Aquitaine, between seigneurial power and territorial conflicts.

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