Château de Lacapelle-Marival, Medieval castle in Lacapelle-Marival, France

Château de Lacapelle-Marival is a medieval fortress centered on a square main tower with corner watchtowers rising through seven stories, topped with a patrol walkway. Inside, rooms display painted ceilings and decorative elements accumulated over several centuries of habitation.

Construction began in 1460 under Guisbert de Cardaillac-Lacapelle and was completed by his son Astorg, establishing the family seat for four centuries of residence. A royal siege in 1663 left physical marks when authorities attacked over a dispute concerning parliamentary compliance.

The castle's name comes from the parish of Lacapelle-Merlival, recorded in 1146 and renamed Lacapelle-Marival after the Revolution. The Salle du Conseil, renovated in the early 2000s, holds portraits of every French president and of former mayors, and now serves as the municipal council and wedding room. In the salle des grisailles, tempera drawings of Roman emperors and mythological scenes were found beneath the 18th-century panelling.

The fortress is open for guided visits on most days, with tours taking visitors through the interior rooms and tower levels. Check visiting hours in advance as schedules vary throughout the year.

The musket-ball impacts on the north facade of the Renaissance corps de logis date from November 1663, when royal troops besieged the castle after the marquise Elizabeth de Pluvinel refused to apply a ruling of the Parlement de Toulouse. The marks are still pointed out on the wall.