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Origin and history

The Château de Pompadour, located in Arnac-Pompadour in Corrèze, finds its origins in the 11th century with the construction of a castrum by Guy de Lastours towards the year 1000, on a strategic axis between Brive and Limoges. This first building, destroyed after the death of Richard Coeur de Lion in 1199, was rebuilt in the 15th century by Geoffroy Helie de Pompadour. The seigneury became a marquisate in 1614, marking its local importance.

In the 18th century, the castle was offered by Louis XV to his mistress, the Marquise de Pompadour, in 1745. Although she never lived there, she developed horse breeding there and founded the Haras de Pompadour in 1760. The estate, transformed into a royal mare in 1763 under Bertin, counted up to 73 horses. After 1793, much of the castle was destroyed, leaving only the south facade and the chestnut.

Under the Consulate, the stud became state owned and expanded, with the construction of stables in the 19th century. The castle will house the National Haras from 1870 to 2004. Ranked a historic monument in 1926, it now bears witness to its medieval past and its key role in French equestrian history.

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