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Origin and history

Levat Castle is a Montpellierian madness built between 1763 and 1764 by merchant Jean-David Levat, who gives him his name. Located at 44 Avenue Saint-Lazare, this monument illustrates neoclassical architecture with its stone-cut facades, terraces and wrought iron balconies. The interior is distinguished by gypseries inspired by the Fables de La Fontaine, especially in living rooms and door tops.

The recent history of the castle is marked by its acquisition in 2014 by a promoter, after a controversy related to its sale by the Chamber of Crafts and Crafts of the Hérault. The estate, partly loti, now houses (2022) an architectural office, while a senior service residence was built near the former orangery. The ensemble, including terraces and balconies, has been protected since 1944 as historical monuments.

Architecturally, the castle develops on a floor with ground garden, under a roof of hollow tiles on a low slope. The main façade features a front body corresponding to the lobby, while the one on the garden highlights the large living room. The terraces, adapted to the elevation of the terrain, and the slitting apparatus of the exterior walls reinforce its neoclassical character. The interior elements, such as the chimney tumbler, bear witness to a refined decor typical of the eighteenth century.

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