Initial construction Seconde moitié du XVIe siècle (≈ 1675)
Built by the Albret, stop at Henri de Navarre.
XVIIe siècle
Redesign of the house
Redesign of the house XVIIe siècle (≈ 1750)
Major architectural changes.
1990
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 1990 (≈ 1990)
Protection of facades, staircase and fountain.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Fronts and roofs of the house, round tower and pavilion; in the pavilion: large staircase; in the house body: fireplace and wallpaper of the large room on the ground floor, fireplace of the room on the first floor, carved crows supporting the ceilings on the ground floor and on the first floor of the house body, door from the old courtyard next to the pavilion; in the park : fountain (cad. B 195, 296): entry by order of 22 June 1990
Key figures
Henri de Navarre (Henri IV) - King of France and Navarre
Stopped there during gasconic rides.
Famille des Albret - Initial sponsors
Builders of the castle in the 16th century.
Origin and history
Briat Castle was built by the Albret family in the second half of the 16th century in Mauvezin-d'Armagnac. This monument, located in Gascogne, served as a stopover for Henri de Navarre (future Henri IV) while travelling in the region. The primitive, rectangular building was flanked by a round tower and a defensive pavilion with a stern and fire blast, reflecting its both residential and strategic role.
In the 17th century, the castle was redesigned and enlarged in the 18th century with the addition of new buildings. The changes continued in the 19th and 20th centuries, including outbuildings like a large cellar. The house body retains remarkable elements: a room decorated with Second Empire wallpapers evoking the stays of Henry IV, an 18th-century walled living room, and old fireplaces. The park houses an open fountain with classical architectural details (shell nests, Corinthian pilasters).
Ranked a Historic Monument in 1990, the castle protects its facades, roofs, the staircase of the pavilion, fireplaces, carved crows and the park fountain. Owned by an association, it bears witness to the architectural transformations and noble uses in Gascogne, from the wars of Religion to the modern era.
