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Origin and history

The Château de Charras, located in the eponymous village of Charente, was built in the 17th century, with subsequent modifications in the 18th century. It originally belonged to the family of La Laurencie, who owned it until the French Revolution. In 1766 Noël-Bertand de La Laurencie, Marquis de Charras, was the lord of the place. Despite his noble status, he escaped revolutionary persecutions because of his state of health, but his sister and wife were executed for "complicit in emigration." The estate, partially destroyed by fire around 1850, was restored by an owner named Alary (or Saint-Alary), who notably modified the central part by adding a balustrade.

The castle is distinguished by its body of houses at the back of the courtyard, once surrounded by pavilions, and its main building of the seventeenth century, covered with a roof in broken panels. A 15th century stone turret, an orangery, a farm and three terraces with stairs and balustrades complete the whole. The cellars, rebuilt to serve as water tanks, reflect the necessary adaptations in this arid limestone region. The estate also includes a house with a semicircular tower near the church. In 1992, the castle was also the property of Count Joseph de Beynac during the interwar period.

The architecture of the castle combines medieval defensive elements, such as the 15th century turret, with classic additions from the 17th and 18th centuries. The imposing entrance gate and the gate near the church underline its importance in the local landscape. The gardens, structured by aisles of lime trees, walls and balustrades, as well as the hydraulic elements, testify to a desire to combine utility and aesthetics. The curvilinear fronton of the main building bears the arms of the La Laurencie family, recalling their long domination over this area.

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