Château de Herrebouc, Saint-Jean-Poutge, France

The Château de Herrebouc is a castle in the commune of Saint-Jean-Poutge. Though an older building, the present look of the castle is the result of a major campaign of construction work at the start of the 17th century. On the ground floor, the 17th century ceiling is partially conserved. The farm buildings date from this period. The pigeon loft is characteristic of the architecture of the time of Henri IV (reigned 1589 to 1610). The wine cellar is probably a later structure.

The mill retains an intact medieval base. Medieval walls are also visible in the buildings of the farm.

User Reviews

Gautier Max (3 years ago)
Delicious original wines and an exceptional environment! Passionate and warm winemakers.

Pascal LECOCQ (3 years ago)
Nice tasting today with Hélène. Sumptuous products and a renewed tasting room. For a top-notch welcome, make an appointment.

Vincent Vrancx (3 years ago)
Very nice visit to the cellar. The owners really take the time to make you taste organic wines matured with passion. To do and redo.

samy mus (3 years ago)
We came with a couple of friends for a tasting and we were really well received. The tasting was at the top and we are dealing with a wine whose work is done by women. It is fine and delicate even if the reds have a powerful body as I like. Visit and tasting which deserves the detour and the wine which also deserves to be known.

Michel Angelé (3 years ago)
Place already visited, but it is always a pleasure to come back, moreover today, linked to a tasting beautiful exhibition of paintings peinture, father daughter working on very similar themes, I who am only a novice, j I found the whole very beautiful, it represents our rural side of the Gers, and I found it magnified by the different works on offer.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright caminanteK

Historic Site of the week

Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians. The county became a privileged refuge for persecuted Cathars.

The castle, often besieged (notably by Simon de Montfort in 1211 and 1212), resisted assault and was only taken once, in 1486, thanks to treachery during the war between two branches of the Foix family.

From the 14th century, the Counts of Foix spent less and less time in the uncomfortable castle, preferring the Governors' Palace. From 1479, the Counts of Foix became Kings of Navarre and the last of them, made Henri IV of France, annexed his Pyrrenean lands to France.

As seat of the Governor of the Foix region from the 15th century, the castle continued to ensure the defence of the area, notably during the Wars of Religion. Alone of all the castles in the region, it was exempted from the destruction orders of Richelieu (1632-1638).

Until the Revolution, the fortress remained a garrison. Its life was brightened with grand receptions for its governors, including the Count of Tréville, captain of musketeers under Louis XIII and Marshal Philippe Henri de Ségur, one of Louis XVI's ministers. The Round Tower, built in the 15th century, is the most recent, the two square towers having been built before the 11th century. They served as a political and civil prison for four centuries until 1862.

Since 1930, the castle has housed the collections of the Ariège départemental museum. Sections on prehistory, Gallo-Roman and mediaeval archaeology tell the history of Ariège from ancient times. Currently, the museum is rearranging exhibits to concentrate on the history of the castle site so as to recreate the life of Foix at the time of the Counts.

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