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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Francs, built at the end of the 12th century on a feudal motte at Bègles (Gironde), was initially a fortress surrounded by ditches, gardens and a mill on the Estey de Francs. Known as La Mothe de Becgles since 1156, the seigneury passed into the hands of Pierre de Bègles, a knight appointed by Richard Coeur de Lion, before being recovered in 1204 by Hélie Béguey under Jean sans Terre. In 1295, Philip the Bel annexed to Bordeaux, marking his return under French domination.

In the 14th century, the seigneury fell to the Caupènes, then Bertrand de Ségur by marriage in 1364, which renamed the Château de Francs. The site becomes a popular hunting spot for the kings of France and England. In 1565, Charles IX and Catherine de Médicis stayed there before a solemn entry to Bordeaux, highlighting his prestige. In the 17th century, the Duke of Épernon was received there, and during the Fronde (1648-1653), the castle was requisitioned as a military post.

The Ségur family occupied the area for four centuries, setting up gardens, tanks and the famous pavilion Les Twelve-Portes, destroyed in 1970 for the Bordeaux ring road. In the 19th century, Charles Balaresque revived the vineyard, classified as Graves, before the phylloxera (1906) ravaged the vines. Ranked a historic monument in 1965, the castle was restored after a fire in 1967. Today owned by the Bastard family of Crisnay, he visits by appointment.

Architecturally, the castle consists of two bodies of perpendicular buildings, with a tower with cut-up panels (XII century) and defensive elements like foothills. The southern facade preserves medieval traces, while 19th century changes modernise the whole. The living rooms, the door in the middle of the hanger and the door windows bear witness to its evolution throughout the centuries.

The park, classified with the castle, once housed groves, a cave and pieces of water, enlarged by Balaresque heirs. Despite the loss of the Twelve Ports Pavilion and urbanization, the site remains protected for its historical and landscape heritage. The family archives (Balaresque, Ségur) and municipal archives (Bègles, Bordeaux) document its history, linked to the great names of Aquitaine and Bordeaux viticulture.

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