Construction of the castle XVIIe siècle (≈ 1750)
Modest logic without defensive attributes.
17 avril 1984
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 17 avril 1984 (≈ 1984)
Two painted rooms classified, listed castle.
27 février 2010
Inauguration memorial plaque
Inauguration memorial plaque 27 février 2010 (≈ 2010)
Chapel dedicated to deportees with stained glass windows.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The two rooms with painted decoration on the ground floor (Box B 624): classification by decree of 17 April 1984; The castle, in whole, excluding the two classified rooms; the old chapel; the well in the courtyard (cf. B 624) : entry by order of 17 April 1984
Key figures
Marquis de La Fayette - Historical figure
He spent part of his childhood there.
Antoine Gilbert François Nicolas Fourreton - Owner and preceptor
Military tutor of La Fayette.
Origin and history
Margeleix Castle, located in the eponymous hamlet on the town of Puy-Malsignat (Creuse, Nouvelle-Aquitaine), was probably built in the 17th century as a dwelling, without a defensive vocation. Its sober architecture, organised around a rectangular two-storey plan with a central staircase, reflects this residential destination. The original interior decorations – painted beams in blue camaieu decorated with carved rinceaux and woodwork – bear witness to an aesthetic concern despite the modesty of the building. The estate includes typical outbuildings (dairy, supply, attic) as well as a chapel, today a place of memory of deportations.
In the 18th century, the castle welcomed the Marquis de La Fayette for part of his childhood, his owner Antoine Gilbert François Fourreton being his military tutor. This link with a major figure in Franco-American history is a lasting sign of his historical story, although the precise sources for this period remain to be confirmed. The elements classified as Historical Monuments in 1984 (two rooms with painted decorations, the chapel and the well) underline the heritage value of the site, combining local history and national memory.
The castle chapel took on a strong symbolic dimension on 27 February 2010, with the inauguration of a commemorative plaque dedicated to all deportees, accompanied by stained glass windows created by artisans of Aubusson (Jean Fourton, Bernard Battu, etc.). These works, inspired by local tapestries, transform space into a place of recollection. The building thus illustrates a dual vocation: witness to 17th century rural architecture and support for contemporary collective memory.
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