Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Libouriac Castle is an iconic building of eclectic architecture, built between 1883 and 1885 in Béziers, Herault. Commanded by Marie Lagarrigue, wife of Abel Gaujal, he replaced an old destroyed castle on an estate inherited from his uncle Jean-François Mas. The architect Louis Garros led the construction of the park, while the park was built by Denis and Eugène Bühler. The style mixes neo-Gothic and neo-Renaissance, reflecting the fortune of the local bourgeois families, enriched before the regional wine growing.

The date of 1885, engraved on the façade, marks the completion of the works. The castle, delivered fully furnished, quickly benefits from autonomous electrical production, a sign of modernity. Isolated to the southwest, an octagonal chapel with bell tower completes the whole. The outbuildings, including wine cellar, stables and water-pigeon castle, underline its central role in the exploitation of the estate.

Ranked a historic monument in 1995, the castle of Libouriac protects a remarkable architectural and landscaped complex: facades, roofs of outbuildings, park, pine alley and small gardens. This classification also covers the chapel, the houses of the gardeners and the manager, as well as the agricultural buildings. The site thus bears witness to the golden age of the Biterrois wine estates, combining bourgeois luxury and technical innovation.

The vast interior hall, adorned with a gallery and a staircase illuminated by a floral window, illustrates the care taken to the decorations. The park, sloping towards the Libron valley, integrates harmoniously with the landscape. The farm buildings, located in the south, recall the agricultural vocation of the estate, while the location on the road of Pézenas facilitates its access. Today, the castle remains a symbol of the wine and architectural heritage of Occitanie.

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