Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of the Sailhant is a castle built on a triangular basaltic spur of 20 to 25 meters high, located in Andelat, in the Cantal, about ten kilometers from Saint-Flour. It is known for its proximity to the Sailhant waterfall (or Babory waterfall), where a stream flows from a height of about 20 meters into a gulf. This spectacular site, classified as a historic monument in 2019, is now a private property and is only visited at certain times of the year.

The first mention of the castle dates back to the 11th century with Guigonis de Salhens, a knight of Saint-Flour. In the 13th century, it belonged to the Sailhans family and played a strategic role in the defence of Saint-Flour. During the Hundred Years' War, he was repeatedly occupied by the English, without undergoing major destruction. Over the centuries, he changed hands, passing among others to the Rochefort d'Aurouze, the Dauphin de Saint-Ilpize, and then to a branch of the d'Estaing family in the 17th century.

In the 19th century, the castle, in ruins, was bought by Mary Raynaud, who undertook a neo-medieval reconstruction between 1888 and 1891, before going bankrupt. In 1904, the Delbet family became the owner without any work. In 1997, it was acquired by the American architect Joseph Pell Lombardi, the current owner. The last restorations date back to 2004. The castle, which embraces the triangular shape of its spur, includes a square dungeon, round towers, dungeons, a chapel dedicated to Saint Ferval, and a staircase carved from the rock.

The nearby Sailhant waterfall is associated with a local legend: a servant, her oxen and her plough would have slipped into the abyss, and the sound of their fall would still be heard on the night of full moon. This waterfall, formed by the Babory Creek, adds to the mysterious and picturesque character of the site.

The castle of the Sailhant, listed as a historical monument in 2019, is open for the visit from 1 April to 30 September, as well as during the holidays of the Toussaint. Its architecture, combining medieval elements and 19th century restorations, makes it a unique testimony to the military and seigneurial history of the Auvergne.

The fortress, with its walls marrying the contours of the rocky spur, dominates the Babory Valley and a crater lake. Its murderers adapted to the shot to the arbalete, its ancient frescoes and its chapel make it a site rich in history, marked by seats, changes of owners and successive reconstructions.

External links