Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Cazilhac found its origins in the early Middle Ages, when Joncels Abbey, founded in 851, built a strong house on a rocky spur to monitor the Orb valley. This building, built between the 12th and 13th centuries, was used to protect the wine crops developed by the monks. The strategic position of the site, on Via Tolosane leading to Compostela, made it a key checkpoint in the region.

During the Hundred Years War (XIVth century), the castle was looted and destroyed by the large companies, while plague outbreaks (especially in 1348 and 1465) ended to degrade the site. In 1512, the family of Peyrottes acquired Cazilhac and rebuilt it in the 16th century, raising the estate to the rank of seigneury. However, religious wars marked a violent turning point: in 1627 the Duke of Montmorency, governor of Languedoc, ordered his destruction.

The Peyrottes undertook immediate reconstruction, keeping the castle until the Revolution. In 1790, the estate was attached to Camplong, then in 1844 to the new commune of Saint-Martin-d-Orb (now Le Bousquet-d-Orb). In the 19th century, economist Michel Chevalier, an influential owner, modernized the winery by adding a monumental aqueduct (1851), capable of delivering 2,500 litres of water per minute. When he died, his son-in-law Paul Leroy-Beaulieu inherited the castle, perpetuating his link with the intellectual elites.

Architecturally, the castle mixes medieval remains (square towers, bay bases) and Renaissance amenities, with a roof of hollow tiles and terraced gardens offering stunning views of the valley. The lake, built of limestone and bellows, bears witness to the technical innovations of the 19th century. Ranked a historic monument in 1987, the site is now open to the public for its gardens and courtyard.

The castle thus illustrates nearly nine centuries of history, from Joncels monks to aristocratic families and liberal economists, while embodying the agricultural and defensive changes of Languedoc. Its inscription in heritage highlights both its architectural value and its role in local history.

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