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Origin and history

The Château de la Rauze, located in the commune of Bourg (département du Lot en Occitanie), finds its origins in a noble den owned by the Columbus family, gentleman glassmakers. This line, having received the land of the Cardaillacs of Lacapelle, occupied the place until the end of the 16th century. The present building was rebuilt from the 17th century, retaining only a medieval tower of origin, with a vaulted room and murderers.

In the 17th century, the castle was acquired by master Hug, notary of Lacapelle-Marival, whose descendants adopted the name "Hug de Larauze" and became part of the French bourgeoisie. After the Revolution, the property passed into the hands of the Rochy family, local merchants. The building, composed of two L-shaped bodies flanked by three square towers, has Renaissance roofs and carved skylights, while its inner courtyard is closed by a creneled wall.

Ranked a historic monument in 1979, the castle illustrates the architectural evolution between the Middle Ages and the modern era. Its façades, pierced openings of the 17th–15th centuries, and its cannon trees testify to its adaptation to defensive and residential needs. The tower, the only vestige of the original den, recalls the medieval anchoring of the site, linked to the history of the glassmakers and the local nobility.

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