Magnas Castle dans le Gers

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Origin and history

Magnas Castle, located in the Gers region of Occitanie, is a building whose origins date back to the 16th century, but profoundly transformed until the 19th century. It is located on the site of the former Barony of Manas (now Magnas), a historical fief mentioned in 1304. The eastern part, the oldest, was built by the family of Saint-Géry between the 15th and 17th centuries, before the castle passed into the hands of several noble lines, including the Serillac, La Valette, and Lacarry.

In 1785, the Marquis de Noé sold the estate to Joseph de Galard-Pellehaut, bringing the castle back to the family of Galard, the original owner in the 14th century. Joseph de Galard undertook major works, including the construction of the current house, and protected the field of revolutionary confiscation by placing him under the dotal regime of his wife, Marie de Vignes. After the Revolution, his son Louis-Raymond-Charles, emigrated, returned to settle there, perpetuating the family heritage.

Between 1881 and 1884, new developments were carried out under the direction of architect Clément Parent, a pupil of Viollet-le-Duc, and the Agenais Courau. These works include the north facade on the gardens and a stone staircase from Angoulême, while the furniture and fireplaces, like those from Flamarens Castle, enrich the interior. The park, once decorated with French-style gardens, now preserves an orangery and rare essences, testimonies of its aristocratic past.

Architecturally, the castle is organized around a closed courtyard with three building bodies. The east wing, the oldest, features medieval traces as a square tower covered with slates, while the western and central wings, covered with tiles, harmonize with a terrace overlooking a valley. The secondary buildings and the commons complete this whole, reflecting the stylistic evolutions of successive epochs.

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