In 2010 I visited the Dordogne for the first time, and I decided to get there from Paris by way of the Loire Valley. Anyone who has visited the Loire Valley knows that many of its most famous châteaux, like Chambord and Chenonceau, were built during the Renaissance. The Dordogne, on the other hand, is a completely different story. Most of the châteaux there were built in the early Middle Ages (the 11th and 12th centuries) or in the late Middle Ages (the 15th century), so as you travel around you’ll see quite a few fortresses, like the one I photographed when I stopped for a moment in the village of La Chapelle Faucher.
So when I reached Château de Puyguilhem, in the northern Dordogne, I thought for a moment that my GPS had gotten confused and brought me to the Loire Valley instead. What stood before me was a thoroughly Renaissance château that would not have embarrassed Francis I (r. 1515-1547) himself! Only after I dug a bit into the history of the château, and of the man who built it, did I understand how Périgord came to have one of its most Renaissance-style palaces. As you’ll soon see, like every good story this one has politics, art, and even a mysterious death.
So let me invite you today to join me on a visit to one of the most interesting châteaux in the Dordogne region. As always, we’ll start with a trip back in time and uncover the château’s history. Right after that I’ll give you all the practical information you need to fit it into your trip to the Dordogne, so it’s definitely worth reading to the end.
So let’s punch “Château de Puyguilhem” into our virtual GPS and get going!
The Rise and Fall of the La Marthonie Family
During the 15th century, a new kind of nobility emerged in France: the nobility of the robe. Unlike the nobility of the sword, made up of warriors who served the king and received land in return, the nobility of the robe was made up mostly of lawyers, whose pens were every bit as sharp as a knight’s blade. The La Marthonie family was a clear example of this kind of nobility.
The family patriarch, Etienne de la Marthonie, began his career as a lawyer in Bordeaux and rose all the way to the rank of counselor to that city’s parliament, a position that brought him no small amount of money and prestige. The second generation of the family, Jean (died 1519) and his son, Pierre Mondot de La Marthonie (1466-1517), leveraged the fortune Etienne had built up in order to acquire land, titles, and political power for themselves.
That’s how the small village of Saint-Jean-de-Côle was acquired by the family in the late 15th century, and why the château at its center bears their name: Château de la Marthonie. Shortly after that, Jean bought a small 12th-century fortress called Puyguilhem. That fortress would be torn down by his son and rebuilt into the Renaissance château we know today, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
After a very successful career in the Bordeaux parliament, Pierre Mondot moved on to serve Louise de Savoie (1476-1531), the widow of the Count of Angoulême, where he excelled and became her chief advisor. His hard work paid off: in 1515, King Louis XII (r. 1498-1515) died, and Louise de Savoie’s son became King Francis I (r. 1515-1547).
As a result, Pierre Mondot was appointed, in February of that same year, president of the parliament of Paris and became one of the most powerful men in the kingdom. A few months later, when the king set out to war in northern Italy, where he would win his great victory at Marignano, Pierre Mondot became Louise de Savoie’s chief assistant, and together they ran the kingdom in the king’s absence.
The money and status that the Lord of La Marthonie came into allowed him to tear down the small fortress of Puyguilhem and begin building a Renaissance-style château that would not have embarrassed Francis I himself (some say he drew direct inspiration from the châteaux the king was building in the Loire Valley). But then disaster struck.
In 1517, Pierre Mondot was murdered at the Château de Blois. To this day, we don’t know who murdered him or why; even the murder weapon (most likely poison) is debated. But what is certain is that a promising political career came to a halt, and with it the construction of the Puyguilhem château. Not for long, though. Pierre Mondot’s brother Gaston, the Bishop of Dax, took over construction of the château and finished it around 1535.
The château remained in the hands of the La Marthonie family until the 18th century, when they sold it to the Rastignac family (any resemblance to the hero of several of Balzac’s novels is purely coincidental). The Rastignac family also left its mark on the château, and they’re responsible for the wood paneling you’ll see in several of the rooms.
During the 19th century, the château passed from the Rastignac family to another famous family, the La Rochefoucauld, but during this period the château’s physical condition began to deteriorate. To save the château, which in 1912 was added to the list of historic monuments of France, the French government decided to buy it in 1939.
Despite the war that broke out shortly afterward, restoration work on the château began and continued for about 20 years. Since the 1960s, the general public has been able to visit the château, and that’s exactly what we’re about to do now.
What Can You See at Château de Puyguilhem?
As you’ll see, the château is made up of three different wings arranged in a shape resembling the letter U, alongside a tower, a remnant of the fortress that once stood there. If you look closely at the château’s exterior walls, you’ll spot fleurs-de-lys, the symbol of the French royal house, a hint at the enormous prestige the château’s builder enjoyed with King Francis I and his mother.
I won’t go through every single room you’ll see during your visit to the château, which takes about an hour, but let me mention two rooms that made an impression on me.
The Great Hall
This great hall, measuring about 1,075 square feet, contains a gorgeous Renaissance fireplace decorated with six reliefs depicting the labors of Hercules.
Unfortunately, most of the reliefs were destroyed over the years, and only the one showing Hercules defeating the lion survived. The other reliefs you’ll see are copies of the original, but, as I’m sure you’ll agree, they’re excellent copies.
The Lord’s Bedroom
Here you’ll find, among other things, a particularly interesting tapestry (gobelin). As you’ll see, the tapestry shows a horse, but if you move around the room you’ll notice that the horse’s eyes follow you! 🙂
If I remember correctly (it has been more than ten years since my last visit there), you’ll also find in the room an impressive 16th-century writing desk with quite a few drawers. If you take a guided tour there, ask the guide to show you the secret drawers too, and to tell you what secrets the lords of the château used to hide in them.
The Château Garden
After you finish visiting the château itself, I highly recommend taking a walk through the gardens, both to enjoy a pleasant stroll through nature and to view this fascinating château from every angle.
Travel Information
Where Should You Stay to Easily Visit the Château?
My clear recommendation is to stay in Brantôme, about 9 miles away. If you take my advice, feel free to check out the article Recommended hotels in Brantôme and the surrounding area and pick a hotel, a vacation apartment, or an entire house, depending on your needs.
Location
Château de Puyguilhem is located near the town of Villars, in the northern part of Périgord (Dordogne). If you enter “Château de Puyguilhem” into your GPS, you’ll have no trouble getting there.
Opening Days and Hours
- The site is open 7 days a week in July and August, from 10:30 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 17:00.
- From October 1 to March 31, the site is open from 10:30 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 17:30, but closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- In April, the site is open from 10:30 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 17:30, but closed on Mondays.
- From May to June, the site is open from 10:30 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 18:30, but closed on Mondays.
Done Visiting the Château? Where Else Can You Explore?
Here are a few good options:
- Grotte de Villars – a particularly impressive cave, just a few kilometers from the château. You can read about it in the article Grotte de Villars: a work of art created by nature.
- Saint-Jean-de-Côle – a small, picturesque village with old streets, a château, and a medieval priory. You can read about it in the article Saint-Jean-de-Côle: the village of flowers.
- The town of Brantôme – where you can visit an old abbey, go boating on the canals, and dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant. You can read about it in the article Brantôme: the Venice of Périgord.
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