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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Lacaze Castle, located in Parleboscq in the Landes, has its origins in the early 14th century. Its initial structure, characteristic of medieval defensive architecture, has been altered over the centuries: the opening of windows in the 16th century, the addition of pavilions in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the creation of a terrace. At the time of the French Revolution, the towers were beheaded and covered with temporary roofs, giving it an aspect of old manor until the early 20th century.

Between 1910 and 1914 Adolphe Whitcomb restored the towers by enhancing them and adding niches and merlons, giving the castle its fortified look. In 1981-1982, Christopher Oldham undertook a major restoration of facades, openings and octagonal turrets, however preserving the central staircase turret in its original state. This work, supervised by the Architecte des Bâtiments de France, marks the last major conservation campaign of the monument.

The fief de La Caze, mentioned at the end of the 11th century, is successively owned by noble families such as the Viscounts of Marsan, the Lasserres, or the Pons, the latter obtaining its erection in Marquisat in 1550. In the 18th century, the Gillet family, marked by influential figures such as Joseph Gillet (First President of the Parliament of Bordeaux), became its owner until the Revolution. The castle then changed hands several times, passing among other things to Adhémar de Guilloutet, grandson of the mathematician Gaspard Monge, who developed there a famous d-armagnac cru.

Ranked a historic monument in 1992 for its facades and roofs, Lacaze Castle illustrates the architectural and social evolution of a Dutch seigneurial estate, from medieval wars to contemporary restorations. Its history also reflects the political upheavals, from Anglo-French conflicts from the Middle Ages to the Revolution, through the influence of Bordeaux parliamentarians under the Ancien Régime.

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