Château de Cazeneuve, Préchac, France

The Château de Cazeneuve was built along the gorges of the River Ciron and the stream of Honburens. The early castle was the former residence of the Kings of Navarre, the property of King Henry IV. It was built by Amanieu VII d'Albret on a rocky bank. It included in its enclosure the medieval mound of the 11th century preceded by a vast courtyard whose curtain walls protected the town.

Due to financial problems King Henry sold the castle in 1583. In the 17th century, the building underwent a major overhaul. The medieval castle was then transformed into a pleasant and ceremonial château. It has since been restored regularly. The castle still belongs to the Sabran-Pontevès family, descendants of the d'Albrets.

The site is made up of troglodyte caves under the castle and large underground medieval cellars. The old parts are the advanced fortifications and the moats. The buildings are a reconstruction dating from the 17th century. The royal apartments are period furnished.

The wooded park runs along the Ciron and includes the lake, the mill, the wash house and the bird island.

References:

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User Reviews

Jan Kerry (6 months ago)
Amazing Chateau. We were very impressed with the furniture and furnishings etc. Wow, what a way to live. Being English speakers we were also impressed with the English translation given to us - very well presented. We are so glad we came here - it is not to be missed. Gardens are impressive and worth a walk through. Take a picnic to have under the trees - very peaceful. Thanks for having us!

Sue Harrison (7 months ago)
Very interesting chateaux. It was a French guided tour but our guide spoke some English and we were provided with a written English guide. Guide was very helpful.

Irina CV (9 months ago)
A most beautiful, authentic, historical chateau! Highly recommend visiting it. A special thank you to the tour guide for a wonderful tour of the chateau itself. Thank you for the family maintaining it for posterity. The chateau is steeped in 10 centuries of history, which one can feel at arrival.

Rory Davidson (2 years ago)
Beautifully restored chateau with tour guides who are very friendly and know their stuff. Excellent accessible facilities and beautiful grounds. A hidden gem worth visiting.

Adrigue le vert (4 years ago)
Informative. Excellent and very knowledgeable guides. Beautiful and relaxing surroundings.

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Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.

Château de Cazeneuve

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