Château de Cavagnac

Château de Cavagnac is a castle with two distinctly different structures: a slender Romanesque tower from the 12th century stands beside a solid building from the 18th century with plain stone facades. The two constructions clearly show how the architecture evolved over the centuries.

The castle was founded in the 12th century by Guillaume-Robert de Cavagnac on land where a Roman villa called Villa Cavaniacus once stood, mentioned as early as the 9th century. By the 14th century, the Guiscard family took ownership and exercised legal authority over the region.

The castle displays marks of its turbulent past through stonework in the courtyard, where revolutionary attacks deliberately defaced the family coats of arms. These visible scars show how the building and its owners experienced the upheaval of their time.

Start by walking into the main courtyard, where the damaged coats of arms are most visible and help you understand what happened to the building. From there, you can walk around the structures to see how the different sections connect and were built at different times.

The site where the castle stands was already used by the Romans, showing how this location held importance for more than a thousand years without interruption. This long history makes every visit a journey through different ages in the same spot.