Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Orgeix Castle, located in the Orlu Valley near Ax-les-Thermes, finds its origins in the seventeenth century with the first constructions of this imposing building. Composed of about forty pieces, it is closely linked to the family of Thonel, become seigneurial after the village of Orgeix has changed hands several times. The castle, near the ancient Thonel forge, reflects the influence of this family on the region.

In 1817, Jean François Joseph de Thonel was named Marquis of Orgeix by King Louis XVIII, a title passed on to his descendants. The castle suffered damage in 1938 when Spanish aircraft bombed during the civil war, including damage to its roof. During the Second World War, Marquis Emmanuel de Thonel of Orgeix, war cross 14-18, was murdered in 1944 by the Germans for sheltering resistance fighters.

The architecture of the castle evolves over time: its roof is enhanced, transforming old skylights into a third row of windows. In 1941, the construction of an EDF dam downstream created the artificial lake of Campauleil, adding a romantic dimension to the site. Today the castle remains the property of the Thonel d'Orgeix family, whose actor Jean-François-Marie-Henri de Thonel, 5th Marquis d'Orgeix, was an iconic owner.

The castle is distinguished by its rectangular house body framed by two square towers, each with four windows, while the main body has three rows of ten. A two-storey dependency, joined to the left tower, completes the whole. Old postcards show that the roof has been changed from a skylight model to a higher structure, reflecting architectural changes in the 20th century.

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