Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Campagne, located in the Dordogne department in Black Perigord, was mentioned in the 12th century as possession of the archbishops of Bordeaux. In the 14th century, the seigneury was divided between four coseigneurs, including Eblon de Campagne, lieutenant of the Sénéchal du Périgord and mediator in local conflicts. The castle, then fortified, played a strategic role during the Hundred Years War, passing into the hands of the French and English. He was finally shaved in 1432 by order of Charles VII after his reconquest.

The reconstruction of the castle began in the 15th century under the impetus of Bernard I of La Borie, who erected a house body flanked by towers between 1480 and 1485. In the 16th and 17th centuries, disputes between coseigneur families multiplied until the Borie gradually unified seigneury through marriages and purchases. In the 18th century, important works transformed the building, including the creation of a large staircase and the junction of the two main houses. The castle was last modernized in the 19th century by Raoul de La Borie, who added pavilions and redesigned the park in a romantic style.

Bequeathed to the State in 1970 by Gérald de La Borie, the last Marquis de Campagne, the estate is now owned by the Dordogne department. The castle, surrounded by a park classified "remarkable garden" and a forest of 337 hectares, is open to the public. It was listed as a historic monument in 2001, including its outbuildings, park and fences. Its architecture combines medieval, Renaissance and classical elements, reflecting its evolution over six centuries.

The castle was the scene of major conflicts, such as its occupation by the English in the 15th century or its fire in 1427. Local figures, such as Eblon de Campagne or Raymond Ebrard, have marked his history with their military or political commitment. La Borie, the emblematic family of the Périgord, shaped its present appearance and preserved its heritage until its transfer to the state. The park, redesigned in the 19th century by the pioneer Jean-Jacques Rousseau, completes this major historic site of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

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