A 16th-century chateau on 3.6-hectare grounds, ten minutes from downtown Albi, on the banks of the Tarn River - ref 790013
A 16th-century chateau on 3.6-hectare grounds, ten minutes from downtown Albi, on the banks of the Tarn River.
To the north of Albi, a brick and stone city built around the impressive and auspicious heft of Saint-Cecile's Cathedral as well as the administrative centre of the Tarn department, the property is located on the GĂ´ plain, whose name, derived from Occitan, designates a place of passage. Perched on the banks of the Tarn River, the chateau originally faced the village of Lescure, to which it was linked by a ford.
In addition, this episcopal city is now a Unesco World Heritage Site, whereas, from the chateau, Albi's downtown area can be reached in fifteen minutes via bicycle or ten minutes by car. As for the Toulouse-Blagnac airport, 55 minutes away, it provides rapid connections to both domestic and international destinations.
Built primarily between the 16th and 17th centuries, except for one of the chateau's wings, which was later rebuilt in the 19th century, the chateau, listed as a regional historical monument, is closely linked to local history: this was the birthplace of Jean-François de Galaup in 1741, Count of Lapérouse and a famous navigator and explorer, who spent his childhood here, while the dwelling has preserved, for the most part, its 18th-century layout.
Accessible via a metal gate, which opens on to a tree-lined lane that leads to the chateau's courtyard, the property features a patio that skirts the edifice and overlooks the nearby meadows that descend towards the Tarn, visible through the trees. Below, a swimming pool blends in seamlessly with the property's rolling topography, while a former nymphaeum, most likely created in the 19th century and supplied with water via a natural spring, is located off to one side.
As for the grounds, of approximately 3.6 hectares, they feature tall trees, ornamental plants, pastureland and wooded areas, whereas the chateau enjoys unobstructed panoramas of the river from its patio and exteriors.
The ChateauA late-Renaissance dwelling, it is laid out around a U-shaped courtyard, enclosed on its fourth side by a low wall accessible via a carriage entrance. Although mostly preserved in its original state, the dwelling is cadenced by several doors, added later and topped with ogees, as well as cross-windows, while, built out of flat local bricks, the edifice adopts a layout similar to that of a private mansion and incorporates the architectural codes of Renaissance-era Toulouse, this time expressed in a way that is adapted to a noble, yet rural, dwelling.
As for the courtyard, facing east, it highlights the building's chronology: the west and oldest wing housing the spiral staircase; the 17th-century southern wing; and the northern wing, which was resumed in the 19th century.
In addition, behind the carriage entrance, the chateau's exteriors, cadenced by ashlar stone cross-windows, surround its central pebble courtyard, while its front door, topped with a finely carved ogee, is instantly recognisable and provides a stately entrance to this noble residence.
The ground floor
The chateau's front door opens on to a 17th-century wooden spiral staircase, an eye-catching feature that represents one of the chateau's major structural elements, while a landing provides access to a patio as well as its two wings: the southern wing can be reached via an immense corridor, with both a lavatory and direct access to the courtyard. From here, another hallway leads to a space that includes both the living room and dining room, topped with thick moulded ceiling beams.
As for the upstairs level's ancient wooden floorboards, they are supported by the ceiling's joists, whereas an immense brick fireplace, in which a wood-burning stove has been installed, structures the room, bathed in light thanks to its triple exposure. In addition, a kitchen, ...
