Château de Lamargé dans le Cantal

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Lamargé, located in the commune of Fontanges in the department of Cantal (region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), is a remarkable example of architectural evolution over centuries. Its original nucleus dates back to the 15th century with a square tower, later integrated into a rectangular house body built at the end of the 16th century. The latter, flanked by two towers at the ends of its southern facade, illustrates the transition between medieval architecture and Renaissance. The expansions continued in the 18th century with the addition of a wing at the back and careful interior decorations: painted woodwork, rosewood ceilings, and fruit wood floors.

Acquisé circa 1548 by Jacques Salvaiges, baili de Salers and married to Françoise Mossier, the fief de Lamargé became the seat of a noble line which kept the castle until the end of the 20th century. The family of Salvaige de Lamargé thus marks the history of the place for nearly five centuries, before its sale to English owners. The estate, surrounded by 19th-century commons and classical terraces, also shows the successive adaptations to meet the residential and aesthetic needs of the eras.

Although not open to the public, the castle is recognized for its preserved heritage, including its defensive elements (around the 15th century) and its 18th century interior design. Listed in the inventory of historical monuments since 1986, it embodies both the seigneurial heritage of the Haute-Auvergne and the architectural influences that have traversed the centuries, from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

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