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Key figures

Origin and history

The manor house of Fontbruno is a domain located in the same name hamlet in Escoussens (Tarn, Occitanie). Its history begins in the 16th century, when the Chartreux de la Chartreuse Notre-Dame-de-Bellevue de Saïx received the seigneury of Escoussens and established an agricultural estate there, including the Cartus barns still visible today. These buildings, still present, testify to the monastic activity of the place before its transformation into a private residence.

In 1788, during the French Revolution, the estate was sold as national property to P.J. Ladès, inspector of the Military Subsistences in Carcassonne. The latter built the current mansion in the early 19th century, partially reusing an earlier structure, as evidenced by the vaulted cellars dated 1666 and the mention of a "Château de Fontbruno" in the archives. This superposition of epochs gives the site a hybrid architecture, combining medieval traces and modern amenities.

In the 19th century, the family of Auban, originally from Marseilles, acquired the estate and added a chapel dedicated to Notre-Dame. The mansion then changed hands several times: in 1965, the general council of the Lot became its owner and established a holiday colony there. Today, the estate is a private property converted into guest rooms, while the Cartus barns, classified as historical monuments in 1988, recall its religious and agricultural past.

Architecturally, the mansion is distinguished by its U-shaped plan, its two square towers framed by a horse-drawn iron staircase, and its 18th-century segmentary arch windows. The interior, renovated in the 20th century, preserves ancient elements such as vaulted cellars, while the pond in front of the entrance adds a picturesque touch to the site. These features are a representative example of Occitan rural manors, marked by successive reuses.

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