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Origin and history

The castle of Mareuil is an emblematic building of the Périgord, located in the commune of Mareuil-sur-Belle in the Dordogne department. It is a plain fort, built in the early 15th century by Geoffroy de Mareuil, after the destruction of an earlier building during the Hundred Years War. This flamboyant Gothic castle was originally used as a pleasure residence. It was burned during the wars of religion, then abandoned before being restored in the seventeenth century by the family of Talleyrand-Périgord, after its acquisition by Isabelle de Beauville.

Mareuil Castle has undergone several phases of transformation and neglect. After the Revolution, it was converted into a farm in the 19th century, before being bought in 1963 by the Dukes of Montebello, descendants of Marshal Jean Lannes. The latter undertook restoration work and installed a family collection dedicated to Napoleon I and the First Empire. Ranked a historic monument in 1862, the castle is distinguished by its defensive architecture, including moat, a barbacan, and a rectangular dungeon.

Today, Mareuil Castle is partially open to the public, with guided tours offered between June and September. Accessible areas include seigneurial halls, towers, dungeon, flamboyant Gothic chapel, and high and low courtyards. Although located away from the large tourist routes of the Périgord, it attracts a moderate influx. Preservation work, necessary for its conservation, is planned after 2024, due to financial constraints.

The castle is also linked to the cultural history of the region, having been the birthplace of the troubadour Arnault de Mareuil, author of the Salvations of Love in the 12th century. Its triangular plan, flanked by towers and surrounded by ditches, reflects its historic role as the seat of one of the four baronies of the Périgord, alongside Beynac, Biron and Bourdeilles. The chapel, the interior walls and the large fireplaces of the seventeenth century bear witness to the different periods of its occupation.

The present management of the castle is carried out by the family of Montebello, which resides in the old communes. The visit, always guided, allows to discover the military and seigneurial history of the place, as well as the objects related to Napoleon I. Despite its heritage importance, the castle remains unknown compared to other sites in the Périgord, partly because of its location outside of major tourist axes.

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