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Origin and history

Faye Castle, located in Flavignac, Haute-Vienne, was built between 1782 and 1786 by architect Joseph Brousseau, replacing a manor house of the 15th-17th centuries. This modern castle, of classical style, consists of a central house body framed by two pavilions, with interior decorations (woodhouses, golden sculptures) partially unfinished during the Revolution. A French garden, supplemented by a vegetable garden and an orchard, accompanied the whole, while a landscaped park was added in 1970.

Faye's land was linked from the Middle Ages to the Abbey of Solignac, which founded a priory there. In the 15th century it belonged to the family of Loménia, which occupied it until 1690. On that date, Pierre de Loménie bequeathed the estate to his nephew Pierre de Villoutreys by will, excluding his cousins Loménie, despite later disputed claims. The last heir Villoutrays, Louis-Henri Gratz, committed suicide in 1811, leaving the castle in debt.

After an auction in 1812, the estate was bought indirectly by Abbé Louis-Léonard de Loménie (former curator of Gratz) and his sister-in-law, Jeanne Françoise d'Haubech, restoring the family of Loménie after 123 years of absence. The castle will later house Marguerite Laure Emilie du Soulier de Clarieuil, great-grandmother of François Mitterrand, as preceptor. Since 1954, it has been restored by its current owners.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 2000, the castle retains remarkable elements: terraces, interior decorations (woodhouses, fireplaces), and a garden partially transformed in the 19th century. Its architecture reflects the influence of Brousseau, known for his achievements in Limoges (Lussac Lycée Gay, Episcopal Palace) and Normandy (Palais de Sées).

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