Château de Cénevières, Medieval castle in Cénevières, France

Château de Cénevières is a castle in the village of Cénevières, in the Lot valley of southern France, built on limestone cliffs above the river. The building combines medieval towers with Renaissance facades, large windows, and terraces that look out over the valley below.

The fortress was first built in the 13th century and then reshaped between the 14th and 16th centuries by the Gourdon family, a period that also covered the Hundred Years' War. Over time, the defensive structure gave way to a more open residence reflecting the tastes of the French Renaissance.

The painted room shows the flight of Icarus and the chariot of the sun, the legend of Astyanax and the burning of Troy, and the abduction of Helen. These scenes follow classical texts rather than alchemy, and they let a visitor see which ancient stories the Gourdon family chose to display in their home.

The castle is open to visitors from April to early November and also hosts weddings and conferences. The buildings stand on a rock above the Lot, with the former rampart wall linking the stables to the Gourdon Tower. In front of the entrance stands the square guard tower, or postern, built in 1585.

The interior walls still carry original frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries showing mythological scenes, including Icarus in flight and the burning of Troy. These paintings were applied directly onto the stone and are among the few surviving examples of this type in the area.