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Origin and history

The castle of Esclignac, located in the commune of Monfort in Gers (Occitanie), has its origins in the 11th century, built on the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa. It was successively owned by the Sires of Preissac, raised to the rank of Dukes of Esclignac before the French Revolution. The site, initially a seigneurial residence, evolved into a complex architectural complex, reflecting the social and political transformations of its owners over centuries.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the château was profoundly redesigned: Bertrand I of Preissac added sill windows in 1485, while Bertrand II and Jean de Preissac completed the building with a north tower, a drawbridge tower, and fortified cellar towers. These modifications illustrate the adaptation of the castle to the defensive and residential needs of the era, while integrating the nascent Renaissance elements.

The French Revolution marked a turning point: Charles de Preissac, who became Louis XVI's cousin by alliance, had to go into exile, leading to the sale of the castle. During the Restoration, he briefly returned to the family before being assigned to the Cos de la Hitte and then to the Bogdanoff brothers in 1986. Despite attempts to safeguard (participatory funding in 2014, interventions by heritage associations), the castle, abandoned since 2021, is deteriorating irreparably.

Architecturally, the castle consists of a rectangular building flanked by a square dungeon and a circular tower, surrounded by outbuildings organized around two courtyards. An outside chapel, restored in the 19th century, bears witness to the religious importance of the estate. The ensemble, registered as a historical monument in 2016, now embodies a heritage at risk, symbol of the challenges of preserving the medieval building.

The location of the castle, on the plain at the foot of Monfort on the road to Fleurance, raises questions about its historical role: roadside control point or seigneurial residence? Sources mention "a priori satisfactory" geographical accuracy (level 6/10), without detailing its strategic impact. Its present state, called "very bad" by reports, alerts about the urgency of its restoration.

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