Château de Réghaud dans le Cantal

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Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Réghaud, also called Rigaud, is a medieval castle located in Senezergues, in the Cantal department. Built probably in the 13th century, it was a major seigneurial residence before being ravaged by the English a few decades later. Its reconstruction in 1440 by Archambaud de la Roque gave it its present appearance: a rectangular building flanked by four towers with mâchicoulis and niches. Despite the alterations during the Revolution and the closing of the ditches, he retained a silhouette close to his original state, with a partially collapsed tower and an access marked by an shield to the weapons of the lords.

The castle was originally owned by the family of Réghaud (or Regaux), faithful to the Catholic party, which disappeared during the religious wars. Their grave, located near the church of Senezergues, revealed a medal with the effigy of Henry III and a uniformed band of leaguers. The estate then passed to the family of Senezergues, probably a bastard branch of the lords of La Rocque. Among his notable owners, Guillaume de Sénezergues, Major de Salins, lost an arm to the war and was anointed by Louis XIV. The castle also served as a residence for local figures such as Jean de Senezergues, a lawyer in Aurillac.

Today, Réghaud Castle is not open to the public and houses a farm. Ranked a historic monument since 1931, it bears witness to medieval military architecture and to the transformations that have taken place over the centuries, including the cross vault of the ground floor and the semi-calot vaults of the towers. Its history reflects the religious struggles and family alliances that marked the Haute-Auvergne.

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