Sale as a national good 1789-1799 (≈ 1794)
Almost completely destroyed.
21 août 1989
Registration of remains
Registration of remains 21 août 1989 (≈ 1989)
Safe accommodation and fortifications.
23 mars 1990
Inscription of the fortified gate
Inscription of the fortified gate 23 mars 1990 (≈ 1990)
Additional classified item.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Logis à galeries du château with its spiral staircase and vaulted cellars; remains of external fortifications, except recent constructions (Case AB 716, 712 to 714, 348): inscription by order of 21 August 1989; Fortified gate of the enclosure (Box AB 388, 389): inscription by order of 23 March 1990
Key figures
Bernard d'Auzon - First known lord
Mentioned in 1078.
François de Montmorin-St-Hérem - Lord in the sixteenth century
Acquire seigneury around 1537.
Jean-Louis de La Rochefoucauld, comte de Randan - Chief leaguer
Take the castle in 1589.
Origin and history
The castle of Auzon, mentioned as a castrum at the end of the 10th century, is located on a rocky spur controlling the confluence of two streams and access to the Livradois plateau. His military position, typical of medieval fortifications, also served as a place of public power. Although its exact origins remain hypothetical, its defensive role is part of the emergence of regional feudal structures. The written sources evoke a strategic site, easily defensible, marked by successive redevelopments.
The first certified lord, Bernard d'Auzon, appeared in 1078. In the 16th century, François de Montmorin-St-Herem acquired the seigneury around 1537. During the Wars of Religion, the castle was taken on 22 September 1589 by the Leaguers of Jean-Louis de La Rochefoucauld, Count of Randan. Partly demolished in the seventeenth century, it was sold as a national good during the Revolution and almost entirely destroyed. Its remains, including a gallery house and a fortified gate, testify to its architectural evolution.
The architecture of the castle reflects various construction campaigns: a fortified enclosure girded with a rocky spur, with a circular tower protecting the courtine. The house remains a tower of staircase with screws, accompanied by vaulted galleries serving the floors. A small vault on the ground floor, decorated with a wall painting, could be the old oratory. In the 19th century, a house was rebuilt on old foundations. Remnants (logis, staircase, cellars, fortifications) were listed as historical monuments in 1989 and 1990. The site remains a private property.
Historical sources underline its importance in regional conflicts, particularly during the wars of Religion. The studies of Arsène Bonnefoi (1970) and Edmond Gilbert (2002) document episodes such as the capitulation of 1589 and the history of the lords of Auzon. This work complements architectural data, providing insight into its political and military role in Lower Auvergne.
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