Reconstruction of the castle XIXe siècle (≈ 1865)
Replacement of the former fortress by the current building.
1884
Visit of Charles de Foucauld
Visit of Charles de Foucauld 1884 (≈ 1884)
Summer stay of the future Catholic saint.
1981
Classification of a 17th century door
Classification of a 17th century door 1981 (≈ 1981)
Walnut door from Vauclaire Abbey.
9 novembre 1984
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 9 novembre 1984 (≈ 1984)
Registration of facades, roofs and interior decorations.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Fronts and roofs; the following rooms with their decor: ground floor, entrance hall with staircase and cage, large and small living room, dining room, office, library; first floor: Berthe Secrestat's room called pink room, Pierre Secrestat's room called muguet room, blue room; Second floor: Chinese room (cad. A 95): entry by order of 9 November 1984
Key figures
Charles de Foucauld - Catholic Saint and Explorer
Descendant of the owners, stayed there in 1884.
Famille de Foucauld - Former owner of the castle
Aristocratic line linked to the monument since the 19th century.
Origin and history
The Château de Lardimalie, located in Saint-Pierre-de-Chignac in the Dordogne department, was built in the 19th century to replace an ancient medieval fortress. This noble den, once attacked during the Hundred Years' War, had a body of houses flanked by a square dungeon. During its reconstruction, the owner shaved the southeast wing and the dungeon, while reusing the materials to build the current terraces. The current architecture consists of a central pavilion framed with two wings, with a turret connecting the north pavilion to the main body.
Inside, the castle has a neo-classical decoration, with remarkable elements such as the door of the Jube of Vauclaire Abbey, installed in the entrance hall. The living rooms, dining room and rooms have varied styles (Louis XII, Louis XV) and painted ceilings evoking literary or allegorical themes. Some walls are lined with Cordoba leather, and a room called arms preserves frescoes and floral motifs with stencil. The furniture includes canvases representing the agricultural work, reflecting the link between the local aristocracy and its territory.
The castle belonged to the Foucauld family, whose Catholic saint Charles de Foucauld stayed there regularly, as in 1884. Ranked a historic monument in 1984 for its facades, roofs and interior decorations, it also incorporates earlier protected elements, such as a 17th century walnut door, classified in 1981. These protections underline its heritage importance, mixing medieval heritage, 19th century transformations and traces of aristocratic life.
Today, the castle of Lardimalie remains a major architectural and historical testimony of the Dordogne. Its state of conservation, intact decorations and its connection to the Foucauld family make it an emblematic site of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Although some parts are reminiscent of the old fortress (heavy walls, waking of the south-east wing), the building mainly illustrates the evolution of tastes and lifestyles of the rural elite in the 19th century.
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