I will take you south deep French country on my road warrior rides of older days when visiting even from FL USA we were on rental cars and passing rather quickly, I love castles and cannot sense or see them without stopping by even for one shot picture, I am looking at my vault in my new environment and found me some older paper pictures of driving in my dear late wife Martine paternal family side and of course, they need to be in my blog for the memories of always, Therefore, will group them here in the curiosities of the Haute Garonne , part I !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I
The town of LHerm had five castles with the Castrum in the center of the town and the castles of the domains of Jottes, de la Serreuille, Mona and Villières. Only two castles remain: the Château de Jottes (see pic) ,and the Château de la Serreuille. These are private properties, cannot be visited. The Château de Jottes and its outbuildings, the first mentions of which date from the 11C, are almost entirely built of brick. During the Belle Époque, it had an important social life, as evidenced by the vast ballroom on the ground floor. The fire of 1997 destroyed an important part of the castle and especially its remarkable furniture. Its square inner courtyard, used for shows, has monumental proportions. The castle of Jottes at the end of the 12C,in the castrum occupied the present place of the church, the moats encircling it have become the thoroughfares in the heart of the town ; they restore luster and splendor to the castle. They fitted out four guest rooms furnished in a Napoleonic style, restored the rotunda, the large ballroom with giant hangings, where once lavish parties were held. The castle is an ideal setting for weddings and seminars.
The town of Ilhem on its heritage : http://www.mairie-lherm.fr/decouvrir/histoire-patrimoine/
The Château de Laréole is a Renaissance castle dating from the 16C located in the town of Laréole in the canton of Cadours, it was built in 1579, During the French revolution, the castle changed hands several times, then it was abandoned from 1922. In 1984, in order to preserve the heritage, the General Council of Haute-Garonne bought the property. A jewel of the Renaissance, the Château de Laréole is a splendid building surrounded by a French-style park. The castle was built with a square plan, with a central courtyard flanked by four corner towers, whose walls alternate brick and stone. In the Commons are a bookstore and a reception area offering documentation and information on Laréole and its surroundings as well as the Lucien Vieillard room. Many artists take over the premises during contemporary art exhibitions or during the “31 summer notes” festival.
The Haute Garonne general council on the castle: https://www.haute-garonne.fr/service/le-chateau-de-lareole?oaq%5Bpassed%5D=1&oaq%5Border%5D=latest
The Château de Launac is located in the town of Launac, 30 km from Toulouse. It was originally a fortress erected by the Count of L’Isle-Jourdain, Jourdain III de l’Isle. Several capitouls of Toulouse succeeded one another at the head of the barony of Launac. The Château de Launac, a 12C medieval fortress protected as a historical monument, is surrounded by an enclosed one-hectare park with a superb view of the nearby lake. Nestled in the heart of the village, facing the church of Launac, you will be seduced by its majesty and its quiet strength.
The official castle of Launac: https://www.chateaudelaunac.com/
The château of Pibrac is located in the town of Pibrac, located 13 km from Toulouse, It was rebuilt in 1540 to replace the former defensive manor with a pleasure residence In the 16C, the castle was the birthplace and then vacation spot of Guy du Faur de Pibrac, who was notably president of the Paris Parliament and author of the Moral Quatrains and the Pleasures of Rustic Life. During the French revolution, in 1794, the sculptures were hammered and the towers uncrowned. The castle was restored in 1887 and then in 1898-1905. The park of the Château de Pibrac, open to the public at certain times of the year, was designed in a very refined style by the landscape architect Eugène Bühler in 1897, with terraces, a pond and wooded beds over 14 ha. It is an English park, and an irregular garden. The Henri IV Gate, a red brick triumphal arch, is located in the park.
The town of Pibrac on its castle: https://ville-pibrac.fr/index.php/ville/monuments/item/25-chateau-pibrac
The town of Escalquens belongs to the Toulouse urban area,and is located 15 km from the City, The 16C castle of Escalquens was converted into the City/town hall, revealing traces of a building from the Romanesque period and the Gothic period, So have a visit to the City hall !
The town of Escalquens on its heritage : https://www.escalquens.fr/ma-ville/escalquens-se-presente/histoire-demographie-statistiques/
The town of Loubens-Lauragais is historically and culturally, a town in the Lauragais, the former “Land of Plenty”, linked both to the culture of pastel and the abundance of productions, and “breadbasket of Languedoc”. It is located 28 km from Toulouse, The castle of Loubens-Lauragais, went from an austere residence to a pleasant residence typical of the 16C. From this period dates in particular the beautiful stair tower. The lords of Loubens are important figures in the region, and over the years have acquired many small lordships such as that of Auriac. After the French revolution, the castle was abandoned but in the 19C it came back to the second golden age of the castle, since the Loubens estate brought together a total of 200 ha of land! The current owners of the castle are the descendants of the Gounon-Loubens. Group visits are guided by the owners and are by reservation all year round. The visit includes the vaulted underground pantrys, the grain attics in the communs, now turned into an exhibition space where Jules de Gounon-Loubens travel notebooks are presented, the furnished apartments of the castle: the reception rooms, the guards room, the kitchen, the Capitoul bedroom, the library, etc. A historical video or slide show presentation that on demand can be in English completes the visit. The garden and the park, where you will wonder around discovering the terrace, many centenarian trees, the prairies, the great grove, the fountain, etc.
The official Château Loubens-Lauragais : http://www.chateaudeloubens.com/en-histoire.html
There you go folks, a dandy wonderful region of my belle France , very close to the family, with many memories from and with the family over the years. Again, hope you enjoy the post on the curiosities of the Haute Garonne , part I !!! as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 