Initial construction 1775-1800 (4e quart XVIIIe siècle) (≈ 1788)
Period of foundation of the castle.
1990
Natural site classification
Natural site classification 1990 (≈ 1990)
Protection of the domain and its surroundings.
17 juin 1998
Registration historical monument
Registration historical monument 17 juin 1998 (≈ 1998)
Protection of facades and roofs.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Façades and roofs of the following buildings: the castle including its extension as well as the terraces, gates, towers, the vegetable garden and its tower, the chapel, the oven, the house called the bayle and the farm of the early twentieth century (cad. B3 254 (castle, terraces, portals, tower) , 395 (extension of the castle, tower) , 396 (tour of the vegetable garden) , 256 (vegetable garden) , 257 (farm of the beginning of the century) , 260 (house called of the bayle) , 262 (oven) , 264 (chapel) ) : inscription by decree of 17 June 1998
Key figures
Jourdan de Combettes - Mayor of Mende
A revolutionary figure linked to the domain.
Rivière de Larque - Founder of the Lozère
Historical personality associated with the site.
Origin and history
The Domaine de Combettes, located on the town of Ribennes (Lozère, Occitanie region), is a castle dating back to the 4th quarter of the 18th century, with major changes in the 19th and 20th centuries. The building is distinguished by its preserved architecture and harmonious integration into the landscape, notably thanks to a modern farm built in the early twentieth century, inspired by collections of models but adapted to the local context. The estate illustrates the evolution of styles while respecting the existing, with elements such as terraces, gates, towers, and a chapel.
The castle is closely linked to two local historical figures: Jourdan de Combettes, Mayor of Mende during the French Revolution, and Rivière de Larque, founder of the department of Lozère. These personalities have marked the political and administrative history of the region, giving the domain a memorial dimension. Ranked a natural site since 1990 and listed as a historic monument in 1998, the estate protects remarkable elements such as the vegetable garden with its tower, the house called the bayle, and the oven, showing its heritage importance.
The whole, which also includes a farm of the early twentieth century, reflects a desire to combine modernity and tradition. Legal protections (classification and registration) underline the architectural quality of the place and its role in collective memory. The domain remains an example of adapting buildings to local needs, while preserving a significant historical and landscape heritage.
