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Origin and history

The castle of Carlux, located on the eponymous commune in Dordogne, has its origins in the 10th century, with a first watchtower erected in the 12th century on old foundations. A chapel dedicated to Sainte-Marie, mentioned in papal bubbles of 1153 and 1170, already attested to its religious and strategic importance. The site then depended on the Diocese of Cahors and the senate floor of Sarlat, covering about twenty parishes. Owned by the Viscounts of Turenne, it was divided in 1251 between Hélis de Turenne and her husband Hélie Rudel d'Aillac, before passing to their daughter Marguerite, wife of Renaud III de Pons.

During the Hundred Years' War, the castle was a major issue: taken by the English in 1405, burned in 1406, then taken over several times before being partially ruined. Louis XI ordered its dismantling in 1481, but a new house framed by towers was rebuilt before 1525. During the religious wars, he served as a den for Protestants before being taken over by royal troops in 1593 after a three-week siege. The Noailles family became Viscount from 1723 to the Revolution.

The castle suffered partial destruction between 1840 and 1850 for the construction of a road, then lost a tower in 1940. Ranked a historic monument since 1927 (inscription replaced by a classification in 2022), it was ceded to the commune in 1992. Restoration works are now aimed at preserving this emblematic medieval heritage, a witness to the conflicts and architectural transformations of the Dordogne.

The castral ensemble, including dungeon and entrance tower, illustrates the defensive and residential evolutions of the Périgord. The current, though fragmentary, vestiges provide an overview of military strategies and seigneurial life between the Middle Ages and the modern era. Archivistic sources, such as papal bubbles or royal letters, highlight its role in regional political dynamics.

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