Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Gineste Castle, a neoclassical style, was built between 1848 and 1854 on a hillside on a vast vaulted cellar of 1000 m2. Its house body, flanked by two lateral wings with triangular pediments, opens onto gardens with a double-flyed porch. The southern façade, marked by eight doric stone columns, supports terracotta friezes decorated with rinceaux and a bearded bust, made by the Virebent Toulouse workshops. The interior, organized around a central vestibule, houses winery vats and a barricade cellar in the basement, while the upper floors accommodate reception rooms and rooms.

The castle replaces an old "Gineste house" attested since the 16th century in the hamlet of Saurs. He was commissioned by Eliezer Gineste, a lawyer and landowner, and was erected by architect Miquel de Gaillac, with local artisans from Lisle-sur-Tarn and Gaillac. The outbuildings (cuvier, stables, forge) were added between 1878 and 1880. The large interior staircase was rebuilt in the 20th century. Surrounded by a park planted with parasol pines, the estate illustrates the alliance between architectural heritage and Tarna wine tradition.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1992 for its facades, roofs, cellars and stables, the Gineste Castle bears witness to the golden age of Occitan wine estates in the 19th century. The family archives confirm the local anchoring of the Gineste since the 16th century, while the terracotta decorations, signed Virebent, Galy and Giscard, highlight the influence of the Toulouse workshops. The site, always linked to wine production, retains its original cellar and its agricultural buildings, reflecting both aristocratic and peasant history.

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