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Origin and history

The castle of Thulet, attested from 1075 and completed in the 12th century, is a rare example of regular fortification of the Rouergue. He belonged to the family of Solages, including Guillaume (1350-1418), a prominent figure of the Hundred Years' War, and Barons François de Solages (15th-XVIth centuries), senechaux de Rodez, who transformed him into a Renaissance mansion. The castle escaped destruction twice: in 1626 thanks to the marriage of Antoine de Grolée with the heiress Marguerite de Solages, and in 1794 by the resistance of the farmer occupying the place.

In the 17th century, the castle was looted in 1665 during a family dispute, then sold in 1686 by César de Grolée. Confiscated during the Revolution (1792-1796), it was restored by the Gaujal family in the 19th century, notably by Marc-Antoine-François, historian of Rouergue, before being passed on to the Souyri (1886-2007). Since 2007, restoration work has been carried out and it has been open to visits in summer since 2013. Joined the Historical Monuments in 1946, it preserves a rich archival background scattered between Aveyron, Tarn and Lozère.

Architecturally, the castle combines a medieval seigneurial tower of 24 metres (XIVth century), a Renaissance house with a hexagonal tower with stairs, and defensive elements such as an almost intact wall. The square tower, devoid of its mâchicoulis in the 20th century, houses a vaulted room about 9 meters high, while the current access is through a 19th century porch. Local materials (red and yellow sandstone) and lauze roofs characterize the whole, reflecting the stylistic evolutions of the Rouergue.

The site also includes remains of ditches, a round tower near the dungeon, and traces of medieval latrines. The castle illustrates the transitions between fortress, seigneurial residence and farm, with successive improvements such as the suppression of the drawbridge or the construction of a barn in 1780. His history is documented by family archives and unpublished manuscripts, such as that of Marc-Antoine-François de Gaujal.

Today, Tholet Castle bears witness to nearly a millennium of history, from medieval conflicts to contemporary restorations. Its inscription in the Historic Monuments and its summer tours make it a major historic place of the Aveyron, associated with influential families such as the Solages, the Grolée and the Gaujal.

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