Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Lapoujade castle originated in the construction of dams on the Lot at the end of the 13th century, under the impetus of Edward I of England. In 1291, local lords such as Lustrac and Paga, as well as clergymen, erected works to control river traffic and collect tolls. These facilities, initially economic, take on a strategic dimension during the Hundred Years War. In 1372, Raymond de la Pugeade strengthened the Lapoujade tower on the order of the Duke of Anjou, giving it a brick enclosure and a drawbridge to make it a key defensive point.

In the 15th century, the La Goutte family, lords of La Poujade, enlarged the house by adding a staircase to the courtyard. In the 16th century, under Jean de La Goutte, secretary of the King, or his son Antoine, the castle was modernized with a Renaissance gallery with colonnade, reflecting the royal favours obtained by the family. The transformations continued in the 19th century: the second floor was truncated, the openings modified, and a barn- barn was attached. Ranked a Historic Monument in 2007, the site preserves medieval elements (Gothic roads, stone tower and brick) and renaissance.

The castle illustrates the evolution of the river fortifications of the Lot, from simple toll stations to strategic seigneurial residences. Its history combines economic issues (control of dams), military conflicts (war of Hundred Years), and architectural ambitions (Italian influence in the 16th century). Today, divided into two properties, it bears witness to the successive adaptations of a medieval building to the needs of later periods, while preserving traces of its defensive and residential role.

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