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Origin and history

The Château Sainte-Marie, located on a rocky spur between Luz-Saint-Sauveur and Esterre (Hautes-Pyrénées), was originally built in the 10th century by Centule III, Count of Bigorre, although its occupation may date back to the Arab period. This strategic site served as a refuge for local people and a defence post to control the valley. Its history is marked by successive reconstructions, notably by the English in the 14th century, which made it a military base until 1404.

In 1404 John II of Bourbon, Count of Clermont, supported by the inhabitants led by Aougé de Coufitte, drove the English out and liberated the valley. The castle was then gradually abandoned, despite the presence of a prioral chapel dedicated to Sainte-Marie, destroyed around 1800. Its ruins, inscribed in the Historical Monuments in 1930, were restored from the 1980s after decades of neglect (broken until 1988). A 30-year lease with the Fontobo family allowed for its consolidation and tourist development.

The castle, composed of a round tower and a square dungeon with murderers, dominates the valley at 630 m above sea level. symbolically acquired for 1 euro by the municipality of Esterre in 2019, it now embodies a preserved medieval heritage, linked to legends like the fictitious escape of Arsène Lupin. Its narrow enclosure reflects its past role as a seigneurial fortress and military capital, while its remains offer a rare testimony of Pyrenean defensive architecture.

The restoration of the years 1980-2018 saved the site from ruin, making it accessible to the public. The initial lease, concluded by Claude Massoure (president of the trade union commission), expired in 2018, leaving a time for his uncertain future. The excavations and consolidations revealed key elements of its history, such as the 14th century English modifications or the agricultural use of the tower in the 19th century (grange). The castle remains a symbol of local resistance to foreign occupation.

Ranked among the emblematic Pyrenean castles, the site is today communal property. Its square dungeon, pierced by murderers, and round tower illustrate medieval defensive techniques. Although partially in ruins, it attracts visitors for its exceptional panorama of Luz-Saint-Sauveur and the surrounding valleys, as well as for its legendary and historical heritage, mixing real facts and fictional stories like that of Arsène Lupin.

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