Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Lastours, located in the Châlus Mountains in Rilhac-Lastours (Haute-Vienne), occupies a strategic position between Limousin and Périgord. The site shows traces of occupation up to 8,000 B.C., with remains of Celtic (elliptic) and Roman (square) enclosures. From the 10th century, the family of Lastours erected three castral mots, one of which, the motte Sainte-Marguerite, has supported since 1488 the parish church. The Roman dungeon, built in the 12th century on an existing motte, peaks at 20 meters and has archaic features such as seat bays and mâchicoulis.

In the 14th century, a second defensive building, comparable to a dungeon, was added, with murderers on the cross. Between 1500 and 1530, the castle grew with two houses (West and North), circular towers, and a southern enclosure with a monumental door, forming a closed courtyard. After the Revolution, the castle, looted, served as a stone quarry. Since 1956, he has been listed as a Historic Monument, and since 1970 a volunteer association has been working on its restoration, while organizing medieval summer festivals.

The current remains include the three original mounds (including a converted church), the partly collapsed 12th century dungeon, and 14th and 16th century elements such as round towers and courtines. The site illustrates the architectural evolution of castles, from feudal mottes to seigneurial residences of the Renaissance. The ditches, formerly in water, and the cannon guns added in the 17th century recall its long defensive role.

Among the characters related to the castle, the family of Lastours marks its history, with figures like Gulferius, Guy, and Gouffier de Lastours. These lords shaped the site, from the castral mots to the Renaissance transformations. The castle remains a symbol of the Limousin heritage, mixing military, architectural and cultural heritage, as evidenced by the medieval festivals that are always celebrated there.

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