Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Chateau du Lau is a listed historical monument located in the commune of Duhort-Bachen, in the department of Landes in New Aquitaine. Built in the 15th century on the remains of a medieval fortification, probably a castral motte, it embodies the architectural heritage of the late Middle Ages, marked by Flemish influences. This private castle, still occupied by the descendants of its first owners, is distinguished by its body of brick houses and its cunning round towers.

The castle was built at the initiative of Antoine de Castelnau du Lau, a chamberlain and senechal of Louis XI, who made it his residence of pleasure. This close friend of the king, rewarded for his services before being disgracified in 1466, oversees the construction of a building combining defence and comfort. The site includes an entrance châtelet renovated in the 19th century, an inner courtyard closed by a ditch, and door windows decorated with animal and vegetable sculptures.

Inside, the main room retains an original oak ceiling, a fireplace carved with humorous motifs (lions, garlands, characters), and dusts built into the windows. An erased coat of arms, probably that of Antoine de Castelnau, dominates the whole. The castle thus illustrates the evolution of seigneurial houses, between medieval military function and 19th century residential adaptations.

Ranked as historical monuments in 1997, the Lau Castle remains a rare testimony of the civil architecture of the Landes, mixing medieval heritage and modern transformations. Its exceptional state of conservation, with intact defensive and decorative elements, makes it a major heritage site in the region.

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