Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Entraygues is an emblematic building located in Boisset, in the Cantal department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Built between the 16th and 18th centuries, it stands out for its strategic position above the confluence of the Rance and the Moulégre, hence its name "Entraygues" meaning "between two waters". This castle, inscribed in historical monuments since 2015, illustrates three distinct architectural phases, combining medieval defensive elements and interior arrangements of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, such as painted ceilings and wallpapers of the Directoire period.

The castle was originally erected in the 16th century in the form of a small fortified castle, with a body of houses flanked by round towers and an hors-oeuvre stair tower. In the 17th century, major changes were made, including the addition of a round tower at the southwest corner and the creation of interior decorations in the taste of the era, such as the French ceiling of the "red room". A third construction campaign in the 18th century saw the addition of a wing in return for square, as well as the construction of communes including a supply and a chapel dated 1622.

The history of the castle is closely linked to two noble families: the Deaura (or De Hora), who owned it from the seventeenth century, and the Falvely, who acquired it in 1840 by the marriage of Marie Rose Mélitine de Baudières with Louis Philippe de Falvely. This last family still keeps the castle today, after six generations of possession. Among the remarkable elements are carved doors, painted ceilings, and rare wallpapers, which bear witness to the stylistic evolutions crossed by the monument.

The protection of the castle has evolved over time: a first inscription in 1987 concerned only facades, roofs and certain interior decorations, before a 2015 decree extended this protection to the entire estate, including terraces, communes, chapel and barn. This site, full of history and architectural transformations, reflects both the defensive issues of the Renaissance and the aesthetic concerns of the following centuries.

The place's toponymy, "Entraygues", recalls its unique geographical location, between two streams, while the archives mention strategic matrimonial alliances between the Deaura families, La Tour de La Placette, and Baudières. These unions allowed the transmission of the castle until its acquisition by the Falvely, markers of a rare heritage continuity over more than three centuries.

Finally, the castle of Entraygues is distinguished by regional architectural details, such as the wooden staircase of the west wing, whose ramp with "aligned sticks" is typical of the Cantal. The historical sources, including the works of Jean-Baptiste de Ribier du Châtelet and the departmental archives, underline its importance in the local heritage, between medieval heritage and adaptations to the modes of the Enlightenment.

External links