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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Fleurac, located in Nersac in Charente, finds its origins in a 13th century medieval fortress built by local knights. The site, never fragmented on the south shore of the Charente, suggests a unified property from the 11th century, linked to an influential character. The remains of this era include the lower foundations and a defensive ditch never flooded. The present Renaissance-style castle is the result of a major reconstruction after the religious wars (16th century), which had seriously damaged it.

In the 17th century, Léon Baudouin, heir to the family owner since the 15th century, undertook a complete reconstruction in the Henri IV style: central house body, side pavilions, mâchicoulis slots and balustrade terraces. These elements, inspired by Charentais castles like Bourdeilles, are now classified as Historical Monuments (1988). The castle then passed into the hands of noble families, including the Baudouin until 1695, then the Guiton du Tranchard, before falling into ruins in the 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Count of La Laurencie acquired Fleurac and placed his weapons in a stained glass window on the Renaissance staircase. The castle, sold in 1940 to Gnome and Rhône, was bought in 1946 by Valmy Chainier. Since 1998, the Mahy family has been restoring it, with a project underway to obtain the label "Remarkable Garden". The building preserves traces of each era: Gothic mouldings (XVth–XVIth), Louis XV lounge, and moat dug in the rock.

The architecture of Fleurac illustrates the evolution of Charentais noble houses, moving from a medieval fortress to a Renaissance marina, then to a classical castle. The terraces offer an exceptional view of the Charente valley, while the defensive elements (fossed, mâchicoulis) recall its military origin. Historical sources, including departmental archives and notarial acts, accurately document its genealogy and transformations.

The wars of Religion (1562, 1568) marked a turning point: the castle, besieged and looted by the Protestant troops of Condé and Coligny, required almost complete reconstruction. The Baudouin, then the La Laurencie, add decorative elements (gypseries, balusters) reflecting the tastes of the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, Fleurac combines architectural heritage and family history, as evidenced by the legend " Fleurac, all our youth", engraved on a death image of the twentieth century.

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