Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Woolsack Castle, also known as The Woolsack, was built in 1911 on the shores of Lake d'Aureilhan in Mimizan (Landes), by Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster. This hunting lodge, inspired by Rudyard Kipling's South African residence, combines English architectural and Dutch colonial styles. It served as a resort for British aristocracy, mixing hunting, receptions and seaside stays.

The Duke of Westminster, seduced by the area during a hunting game in 1910, acquired a land of 10 hectares to build this estate. The plans, entrusted to architects Detmar Blow and Fernand Billerey, are inspired by The Woolsack of Cape Town, designed by Herbert Baker for Cecil Rhodes. The castle, made of red bricks and half-timbered, is distinguished by its central patio and dardian roofs, incorporating local elements such as sea pines and mimosas.

Between 1911 and 1940, the castle hosted a brilliant society: Coco Chanel, Winston Churchill, Charles Chaplin or Salvador Dalí stayed there. The Duke organizes hunting, tennis and boat trips. During the Second World War, the estate was requisitioned by the Germans, then partially burned in 1947. Reconstructed in 1959, it became a private residence after several changes of owners.

The site, classified in 1978, illustrates British influence in the Landes at the beginning of the 20th century. Today owned by the Ramsey couple, the castle is not open to the public. Its architecture and history make it a unique testimony to the Franco-English cultural exchanges and the worldly life of the inter-war period.

Woolsack refers to the traditional seat of the Lord Chancellor in the British House of Lords. The estate, designed as a hunting relay, also included an English neighborhood with bungalows for staff. After 1947, it was restored by the Stationeries of Gascogne before being bought in 2007 by British who were anxious to preserve its heritage.

External links