Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Apchon, located on a basaltic dyke at 1,100 meters above sea level, was built in the 12th–13th centuries as a fortress of the family of Apchon, one of the most influential in Haute-Auvergne. Dominating the Rhue and Santoire valleys, he played a strategic role during the Hundred Years War, serving as the basis for the reconquest of the Limousin against the English. Its enclosure, containing five round towers and two busy towers, reflects its military importance.

Reconstructed between 1408 and 1422 after repeated attacks, the castle became uninhabitable as early as 1760. Ranked a historic monument in 2012, it was the subject of a painting by Auguste Bonheur in 1852, showing his heritage interest. Since 2016, safeguard work (€220 000 for the first phase) aims to preserve its remains, supported by the Heritage Foundation and public partners.

The municipality of Apchon integrates this project into a comprehensive tourist plan led by the community of communes of the Gentian Country. Remnants still make it possible to distinguish the northern and eastern houses, as well as a part of the enclosure with its towers and poternes. Sources such as François Yzorche's (2017) or CNRS archives (2012) document his history, linked to feudal dynamics and medieval conflicts in Auvergne.

External links