Located 40 kilometers east of the city of Périgueux, the listed Historic Monument, Hautefort Castle is one of the most prestigious castles not only in the Dordogne region, but in the entire south-west of France. This majestic structure towers proudly over the Auvézère Valley and the village of Hautefort. Both of its wings end in a round tower, and the whole complex is surrounded by impressive French-style gardens. Castles of this type are not typical for the Dordogne: they are more like castles built by nobles in the Loire Valley.
The first owner of the castle was Guy de Lastour around the year 1000. His descendant, Gouffier de Lastour, is considered one of the 30 knights who laid siege to Jerusalem in 1099, along with Godefroy de Bouillon, who later became the first ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
In the XII century, the castle came under the rule of the De Born family, represented by two warring brothers – Constantine and the famous troubadour Bertrand de Born. The latter was known for old Occitan music and poetry. At that time, the medieval fortress consisted of a donjon and several towers connected by loopholes. In the 15th century, the castle passed to a branch of the de Gontaut family, who took the name and coat of arms of Hautefort.
As times and fashion changed, the fortress gradually turned into a place of relaxation, and became more and more similar to the legendary castles of the Loire Valley.
Hautefort Castle experienced its most extravagant period in the 17th century. François de Hautefort and his grandson Jacques-François worked successively with two architects – Nicolas Rambourg from Lorraine and then Jacques Maigret from Paris. As a result, the building gradually lost its defensive functions and turned into a castle in a “modern style”. Its imposing and majestic form reflects the power of the Hautefort lords.
During the French Revolution, De Hautefort family remained in the castle. From 1793 to 1795 it was used as a “prison for suspected”, which saved the building from destruction. The family owned the castle until 1890, when the widow of the last owner, a descendant of the De Hautefort family, sold it to the wealthy industrialist Bertrand Artigue. He died without heirs in 1908, after which the castle gradually fell into ruins.
Hautefort Castle is a true story of passion: in 1929, it was purchased by the Baron and Baroness de Bastard. With exceptional care and dedication, they started to restore old building. They literally gave new life to the residence and its gardens. In 1957, the baroness, widowed by that time, finished that work, but moved to the castle only a few years later. After the main building was destroyed by fire in 1968, the Baroness worked hard on the second restoration, which she carried out with her family, the community and with the support of the local authorities and the Ministry of Culture.
Today Hautefort Castle is the result of a family’s commitment to one value: beauty. This unique place, rich in history, combines magnificent nature and majestic architecture with a culture of sophistication inherited and passed down over time.
