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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Fanget Castle, located in Thèze in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, is a provincial house built at the end of the 17th century, then enlarged in the 18th century by a corner pavilion decorated with a pediment. Its central entrance, framed by mascaron windows, gives it a rustic character. The interior still preserves period woodwork, testimonies of its aristocratic past.

Former noble house anobliated in 1476, the estate belonged to the family of Fanget. The pebbly square dovecote, typical of seigneurial properties, was destroyed in 1964. The facades and roofs, protected since 1960, reflect the architectural evolution between provincial classicism and 18th-century embellishments.

The monument illustrates the way of life of rural elites in Béarn, where noble houses served as both a residence and a symbol of local power. Their decoration, such as mascarons or pediments, marked a social distinction, while pigeons recalled seigneurial privileges related to colombophilia.

Today the communal property, the castle of Fanget remains a preserved example of the civil architecture of Bearnaise, between medieval heritage (anoblissement in 1476) and transformations of the Enlightenment. Its inscription in the Historic Monuments in 1960 underscores its heritage value, despite the disappearance of certain elements such as the pigeon-house.

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