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Origin and history

The castle of Apcher, also called the castle of Apchier, is a feudal building located in the commune of Prunières, in Lozère (Occitanie). Former seat of the Barons and then Marquis d'Apchier, he was one of the eight Baronies of Gevaudan. Built between the 11th and 14th centuries, it was gradually abandoned from the 17th century. Today in ruins, only its dungeon remains intact, testifying to its historical importance.

The castral site, perched on a rocky slope overlooking the Margeride, includes several remains: a dungeon, houses, a courtyard, a wall of enclosure and a chapel. Archaeological excavations carried out between 2000 and 2012 contributed to a better understanding of his organization. The castle was surrounded by the Barony of Apchier, which reigned on the north of the Gevaudian Aubrac, alongside the Baronies of Peyre and Mercœur.

The first written mention of the castle dates back to 1180, when Garin de Châteauneuf, Lord of Apcher and Co-Lord of Châteauneuf-Randon, paid tribute to the Bishop of Mende, Aldebert III du Tournel. Garin, a member of Randon's family, had married Alix d'Acphier, the last heir of the first line of the lords of Apchier. The castle was mentioned for the first time explicitly in 1233, when the Baron of Apcher paid tribute to the bishop, also Count of Gevaudan.

Among the remarkable elements, the chapel of the castle, probably founded by Guérin III de Châteauneuf in the 13th century upon his return from the 7th Crusade, has a pentagonal apse and a bell tower. The dungeon, dated 1374 thanks to a scaffolding bolt, is the best preserved part. The chapel and tower were classified as historical monuments on 18 May 1983, while the remains of the castle were inscribed on 18 June 2013.

Apcher's name would come from the Latin name Appius, associated with suffix -arium. The castle, although located east of the Barony, was the political and military center. Garin d'Apcher, lord at the end of the 12th century, was also a renowned troubadour, known for creating a poetic form called the decors.

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