Description

This magnificent château, whose construction dates back to the 14th century, is located in the Dordogne region, between Brive and Périgueux. Nestled on a hillside overlooking the Auvézère River, it enjoys a beautiful and peaceful setting. The property extends over more than 12 hectares, comprising a park and garden, woods, a pond, and numerous outbuildings (gatehouse, barn, stables, and henhouse, etc.). Originally, this area likely housed a fortified house, built to monitor and protect the fords between the Limousin and Périgord regions. At the end of the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453), this fortification became obsolete. In 1521, Pascal Dolce, originally from Béarn, established a forge along the Auvézère, near the now-obsolete structures. Under the management of his successor, Noël Souvelin, the forge prospered. The latter, most likely, obtained the concession for the old, abandoned fortification and undertook significant renovations to transform it into a residence. His daughter, Marguerite, married François Pasquet, a merchant from Excideuil, in 1539. The Pasquet family then took charge of the castle and the forge for several generations. Jean Pasquet, their eldest son, served Kings Henry III and Henry IV as a knight. His influence is visible throughout the castle and gardens, whether through his motto ('Spes mea deus') or his depiction as the 'Knight with the White Feather'. In 1656, following a marriage, the castle and the forge passed into the hands of the de Lubersac family. During the French Revolution, the castle was abandoned and became national property. It was only in 1819 that Louis Combescot, ancestor of the current owner and ironmaster at the Bord ponds, bought back the forge and the château, both in a state of advanced disrepair. He and his descendants undertook the clearing of the irreparable ruins resulting from decades of neglect. The family moved into the château, and the forge remained active for over a century, until the last molten iron was poured from the blast furnace in 1930. In its current form, the château comprises a central building, situated between two round towers, and a wing built at a right angle to this building. The large courtyard and the park extending from it are bordered to the west by the outbuildings. The west façade of the main building features mullioned windows on both floors and two dormer windows in the attic; these dormer windows are surmounted by pediments with solid tympana. The L-shaped building, opening to the south, dates from the 17th and 18th centuries, but was rebuilt on older foundations. Behind this wing, a square pavilion was added in the 19th century, blending into the overall design. On the east façade, overlooking the river and the forge, the two towers of unequal diameter were probably originally connected by a curtain wall. The main building, nestled between them, features mullioned windows and dormers with ornate pediments, as does the west façade. The architectural impact of the junction between the north tower and the main building is supported by a squinch, within which is set a sculpture representing the tormented face of a figure with a draped headdress. The Renaissance portal, re-erected in the park, symbolizes the Italianate trend of the late 16th century through its profusion of sculptures. On a cartouche in the center of the entablature is inscribed the motto of the Château, "SPES MEA DEUS" (May God have mercy on me). The castle has been listed as a Historical Monument since 1979, closely linked to the Forge, whose origins likely date back to the end of the Hundred Years' War. It was built between the 14th and 16th centuries and comprises a main building flanked by two cylindrical towers; on