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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Gardera Castle, also known as Villenave Caveyard, is a historic monument located in Bélus, in the Landes. Built in the first half of the seventeenth century, it is distinguished by its rectangular plan with a wing in return of square, a courtyard of arrival to the north and a garden on terrace to the south. This castle is one of the few examples of caves (noble houses) in the Pays d'Orthe, combining architectural elements typical of the castles of the period, such as a ramp-on-rail staircase and an entrance door to the manerist decor.

The Villenave cellar was mentioned in 1343, but the current building would date from the first quarter of the 17th century, with subsequent improvements. Sold in 1540 by Pierre Labadie to Bertrand de Six, it passed in 1562 to Jean de Saint-Martin, then belonged in 1671 to Bernard de Lacomère. In the 18th century, it was in the hands of Gardera's family, which added a panelled living room. The castle, carried as a noble house on the map of Cassini, underwent modifications in the 18th and 19th centuries, including the suppression of a small body of building visible on the cadastre of 1819.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1996 for its facades, roofs and large living room, the Gardera Castle illustrates the architectural evolution of noble residences in Orthe Country. Its staircase, mannerist door and 18th-century panelling bear witness to successive stylistic influences. Although private property, it retains a marked heritage value, linked to its medieval and modern history.

In 2002, one observation pointed to the removal of coating, perhaps revealing original structural details. The site, whose location is considered "passable" (note 5/10), remains a testimony of the seigneurial and architectural dynamics of the region, between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

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