Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Facades and roofs of the main building; South terrace with its balustrade and garden; painted ceiling of the large dining room; painted canvases from the entrance hall; large living room with its gypsum decor; room of the apartment known as the Duchess of Polignac and boudoir (C 144): inscription by order of 27 June 1983
Key figures
Dominique Rigail de Lastours - Owner in the 19th century
Welcome the Duchess of Polignac.
Duchesse de Polignac - Aristocrat in exile
Hosted at the castle in the 19th century.
Père d'Ingres - Salon decorator
Artist adorning a room.
Origin and history
The present castle of Lastours, located in Realville in Occitanie, is a mansion built in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries on the remains of an ancient castle fort razed by the English in the 14th century. Reconstructed after this first ruin, he suffered a new fire in 1621 during the looting by the Reformees, before being rebuilt again in the 17th century. His tumultuous history continued in 1789, when he was looted, and then in the 19th century, where he became a refuge for the aristocracy in exile.
In the 19th century, Dominique Rigail de Lastours, owner of the premises, welcomed the Duchess of Polignac, sister-in-law of Prince Jules de Polignac, Minister of Charles X. For her, he arranges the rooms of the East Wing, including a bedroom and boudoir decorated with stuccos, as well as the terrace, entrance and stairwell. The building, with a quadrangular plan, is distinguished by its exposed ceiling, a living room decorated by the father of the painter Ingres, and a Gothic stone fireplace from Bruniquel. The facades, roofs, and some interior decorations (gypseries, painted canvases) have been protected since 1983.
Ranked a historic monument, the castle of Lastours illustrates the architectural and social transformations of Occitanie, from a medieval fortress to an aristocratic residence. Its interior decor, blending Gothic and classical elements, bears witness to the refined tastes of its occupants, while its history reflects the political and religious upheavals of France, from the Wars of Religion to the Revolution and Restoration.
