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Castle of Picomtal à Crots dans les Hautes-Alpes

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine défensif
Demeure seigneuriale
Château
Hautes-Alpes

Castle of Picomtal

    D90 
    05200 Crots
Private property
Château de Picomtal
Château de Picomtal
Château de Picomtal
Château de Picomtal
Crédit photo : Fr.Latreille - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
XIIIe siècle
Construction of the stone dungeon
XIVe siècle
Extension in square castle
1507
Expansion by Martin de la Villette
1692
Partial fire
1876
Repurchase by Joseph Roman
1er février 1989
Historical Monument
1999-2003
Renovation and discovery of writings
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Castle, as well as the terrace and the old garden (Box C 1740, 1741) : inscription by order of 1 February 1989

Key figures

Joseph Roman - Owner and Renovator (19th century) Add interior decorations and chapel Saint Louis.
Isabelle Reynaud - Artist painter Author of the frescoes of the chapel (1892).
Joachim Martin - Carpenter and chronicler Engraved 72 texts on rural life (1880).
Jacques-Olivier Boudon - History Studyed the writings of Joachim Martin (2017).
Loïc Pianfetti - Landscape Redesign the award-winning garden (since 2001).

Origin and history

The castle of Picomtal, located in the commune of Crots (Hautes-Alpes), finds its origins in the 13th century with the construction of a first stone dungeon by the lords of Embrun, replacing a wooden structure. This strategic site, linked to the archbishops of Embrun, attracts a garrison and promotes the emergence of the village of Crots around the fortress. In the 14th century, three additional towers were erected, forming a square castle typical of Provencal feudal architecture.

In the 16th century, Martin de la Villette, heir to the Embrun, doubled the size of the castle in 1507. The estate was damaged in 1692 by the Duke of Savoy's troops, and then changed hands several times: Rame's family, Abbé de Ravel, and Joseph Cellon, a bourgeois, in 1769. The French Revolution marked a turning point with its acquisition in 1792 by Jean-François Cressy, former royal baili d'Embrun.

The 19th century saw Joseph Roman buy the castle in 1876 through a public auction. He undertook major renovations, adding interior decorations and a chapel dedicated to Saint Louis, decorated with frescoes signed by Isabelle Reynaud (1892). The stained glass windows, adorned with lily flowers, reflect the monarchist influence of the time. In 1989, the castle, its terrace and garden were classified as Historic Monuments.

An exceptional discovery took place during the renovations of 1999-2003: the writings of Joachim Martin, carpenter of the village. In 1880, this last grave on floor slats 72 texts describing the rural life of Crots, hidden under the floors. Rediscovered in 2000, these documents inspire a historical spectacle and a book, The Floor of Joachim (2017), by historian Jacques-Olivier Boudon. The garden, renovated since 2001 by Loïc Pianfetti, is awarded the 2015 National Garden Award.

Today, the castle combines accommodation (guest rooms), reception rooms and heritage, with a contemporary garden inspired by the provençal models of the eighteenth century. Joachim Martin's writings, a unique testimony of the rural society of the late 19th century, are highlighted through thematic visits.

External links