Free visit of a mansion dating from the second half of the 15th century

Name: Free visit of a mansion dating from the second half of the 15th century
Start: 2023-09-16T10:30:00+02:00
End: 2023-09-17T18:00:00+02:00
Location: Château de Montlebeau

Discover a small castle, almost forgotten manor: the manor of Montlebeau. Listed as a Historic Monument, dating from the second half of the 15th century, come and discover...

16 and 17 September 2023Passed

Conditions

Free. Free entrance.

©Bernard Amoury

Discover a small castle, almost forgotten mansion: the manor of Montlebeau. Listed under the title of Historical Monuments, dating from the second half of the fifteenth century, discover this exceptional castle as part of a free visit. For security reasons, the visit is mainly external and will be accompanied by some comments on the origin and history of the manor.

About the location

Château de Montlebeau

Montlebeau, 23300 Vareilles

Creuse
Nouvelle-Aquitaine

The fief of Montlebeau paid homage to the viscounty of neighbouring Bridiers. This feudal castle is mentioned for the first time in 1497, its first owner being a sieur de la Marche. It is also one of the few remaining noble mansions of the vassals of Bridiers; it is therefore an important element in the history of the North-West Creusois.
The house was built a little before, in the second half of the fifteenth century, a period of English threats coming from Guyenne, while the Hundred Years War turned to the advantage of the French. It was then a question of fortifying the French positions and thanking the local lords by offering them the lands taken from them to the enemy. The construction of such a structure also benefited medium-term employment and normally provided many generations of farmers linked to the estate. A document (confession) of 1526 allows us to know that the house had a courtyard, a chapel (ruined since the seventeenth century), an oven, various outbuildings, all surr