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Château de Clermont-Soubiran dans le Lot-et-Garonne

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine défensif
Demeure seigneuriale
Château
Lot-et-Garonne

Château de Clermont-Soubiran

    Rue Pasteur
    47270 Clermont-Soubiran
Crédit photo : MOSSOT - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1100
1200
1300
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
XIe siècle
First mention of Durfort
1208
Erection in barony
1617
Creation of the Marquisat
XVIIe–XVIIIe siècles
Architectural transformations
25 mai 1960
Registration for Historic Monuments
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

The facades and roofs, as well as the large vaulted room, called Salle des Gardes (Box B 447 2nd sheet): inscription by order of 25 May 1960

Key figures

Bernard de Durfort - Lord of Clermont (XI century) First Durfort named as owner in 1091/1092.
Henri de Balsac - Count of Graville and Marquis Obtained the Marquisate erection in 1617.
Robert de Balsac - Sénéchal d'Agenais (15th century) Acquiert Clermont-Soubiran for his family.
Jean-Gaspard-Ferdinand de Marchin - Owner in the 17th century Husband of Marie de Balsac, heiress of the Marquisat.
Thomas de Gasquet - Acquirer in 1711 Buy marquisat from Marchin creditors.

Origin and history

The Château de Clermont-Soubiran, located in the department of Lot-et-Garonne in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, is located on the northern slopes of the Garonne valley, above the village of Clermont-Soubiran (formerly Clermont-Dessus). Its history dates back at least to the 11th century, when the seigneury belonged to the Durfort family, the great lords of Toulouse County. Bernard de Durfort, quoted in 1091/1092, and his brother Guillaume are mentioned in acts related to religious donations, confirming their regional influence.

The seigneury of Clermont-Dessus was erected in 1208 as a baronie, then as a marquisat in 1617 for Henri de Balsac, Count of Graville. The Durforts, then the families of L'Isle-Jourdain, Armagnac, and Balsac d'Entragues succeeded as owners. In the 15th century Robert de Balsac, Senechal d'Agenais, acquired the estate, which then took the name of Clermont d'Entraygues. The transmission continued through matrimonial alliances, notably with the Marchin in the 17th century, before a sale in 1711 to Thomas de Gasquet.

The castle retains a medieval base, including a dungeon and a vaulted guard room in the 17th–15th century. In the 18th century, a set of three-level apartments was added to the south terrace. The dungeon, partly of the 12th century, was transformed into a stairwell. The monument, marked by successive renovations, was inscribed in the Historical Monuments in 1960 for its facades, roofs and the guard room.

The archives reveal seigneurial customs, such as the obligation for the lords of Clermont-Dessus to wear the bishop of Agen in a chair at the time of his solemn entry. This ritual also involved the lords of the Fossat de Madaillan, Beauville, Madaillan and Fumel, illustrating the local prestige of these families. The transmission of the estate to Nicolaÿ, then to the Laboria, concludes a rich feudal history, marked by alliances and successive sales.

The current structure combines medieval elements (dnejon, staircase) and classical additions (eighteenth century apartments). The double roller arches on the roof and crows of the 12th century bear witness to its ancient origin. The Wardens' Hall, with its brick vaults from the 17th to 18th centuries, illustrates the interior adaptations over time, in a large medieval work preserved.

The castle, now private property, remains an architectural witness to the transformations between the Middle Ages and the modern era. Its inscription in 1960 protects its most emblematic elements, reflecting a complex feudal and seigneurial history, linked to the great families of Agenas and Gascogne.

External links