Château de Brametourte, Lautrec, France

Château de Brametourte, founded in the 11th century, surveys a stunning panorama across 20 hectares of parkland, woods & sun-flowered fields towards the Pyrenean peaks.

Situated in the south of France, close to the award winning bastide village of Lautrec, central to three UNESCO World Heritage sites, Toulouse, Albi and Carcassonne, the tranquil beauty of this ancient home of Barons & Viscounts, belies its turbulent past. The castle was immersed in the religious fervour of Cathars, Knights of the Templar & the Wars of Religion. Sieged during the 1580s, it fell into disrepair and was left forgotten and frozen in time.

Nearly half a millennium later, the Château has been traditionally and ecologically restored; pioneering one of France’s first, self-sustainable medieval castles.

References:

Château de Brametourte

User Reviews

sue tootyflooty (2 years ago)
Just had the most wonderful weekend at our dear friends wedding, the Chateau is so beautifully and lovingly restored to an exceptional standard, one of the most amazing places we have visited, with very welcoming hosts Alison and Paul, really hope we can revisit in the future.

Neil Mach (2 years ago)
Thoroughly magical

Lisa Hammond (2 years ago)
Stunning medieval chateau in stunning environment.

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The Palace of the Kings of Navarre of Olite was one of the seats of the Court of the Kingdom of Navarre, since the reign of Charles III 'the Noble' until its conquest by Castile (1512). The fortification is both castle and palace, although it was built more like a courtier building to fulfill a military function.

On an ancient Roman fortification was built during the reign of Sancho VII of Navarre (13th century) and extended by his successors Theobald I and Theobald II, which the latter was is installed in the palace in 1269 and there he signed the consent letter for the wedding of Blanche of Artois with his brother Henry I of Navarre, who in turn, Henry I since 1271 used the palace as a temporary residence. This ancient area is known as the Old Palace.

Then the palace was housing the Navarrese court from the 14th until 16th centuries, Since the annexation (integration) of the kingdom of Navarre for the Crown of Castile in 1512 began the decline of the castle and therefore its practically neglect and deterioration. At that time it was an official residence for the Viceroys of Navarre.

In 1813 Navarrese guerrilla fighter Espoz y Mina during the Napoleonic French Invasion burned the palace with the aim to French could not make forts in it, which almost brought in ruin. It is since 1937 when architects José and Javier Yarnoz Larrosa began the rehabilitation (except the non-damaged church) for the castle palace, giving it back its original appearance and see today. The restoration work was completed in 1967 and was paid by the Foral Government of Navarre.

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