I don’t imagine in ghosts. BUT, I actually thought I noticed one. As I wandered alongside the outer partitions of Château de Lagarde within the Ariège, one thing caught my eye—a shadow transferring throughout one of many crumbling towers. I froze. I shook my head and puzzled, “Did I see one thing peering down at me or was I imagining it?” Moments like that remind me why these historical ruins are so hauntingly lovely.
Château de Lagarde has been by all of it—sieges, neglect, and centuries of disuse. At this time, it’s actually falling aside. A lot so, that it’s now closed to the general public aside from particular occasions, and the homeowners are even providing it up… free of charge.*
[Yes, you read that right. Free.* But there’s a catch. Restoring this medieval masterpiece would cost millions.]
1. Château de Lagarde (Ariège Division)
Throughout my thirty third journey to France, as I headed north to Carcassonne from Camon (considered one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France), I made a decision to go to a French château that had been nearly fully destroyed in the course of the French Revolution however has retained sufficient of its design to be very spectacular. I’ve a factor for castles and don’t care if they’re in pristine situation or in ruins—so long as the structure is attention-grabbing.
Château de Lagarde is positioned within the village of Lagarde, 7 kilometres southeast of Mirepoix. The silhouette of the fort ruins could be seen from far-off and it has fairly a commanding presence overlooking the valley beneath.
2. A Ghost (Or Was It A Goat?)
After paying my admission, I used to be left alone to discover the property and château. You’ll be able to’t go inside as a result of it’s too harmful. There are many crumbling constructions. Solely the outside partitions and towers stay, so that you do a circuit across the outdoors and you may get varied views of the within.
It was firstly of my go to that I had my first hallucination sighting. There was completely no sound. It simply appeared like one thing was transferring from on high of the tower. I continued to make my approach down the trail, trying on the spectacular stays of this 700-year-old medieval fort. Have a look at the subsequent photograph fastidiously!
After I turned the nook, I found my apparition had truly been a goat on high of the tower! He/she was in a herd of goats (OK, effectively 4 that I may see). They’d been grazing all through the fort and the way they bought to the highest of the tower I’ll by no means know! There’s a moat and fence, so there isn’t a approach they may get out. I suppose the homeowners have determined to make use of this space as pasture. So, no ghost(s). Simply goats.
3. Historical past Of Château de Lagarde
With that bit of pleasure over, I used to be ready to focus on the ruins and a number of the signposts scattered round which gave perception concerning the château’s lengthy and dramatic previous. The château’s design modified with every new ancestor. Right here’s a fast look again:
- Château de Lagarde started as a medieval fortress. The unique fort was constructed on this website within the eleventh century; nonetheless, there aren’t any indicators of the unique fortress.
- It’s not till the thirteenth century that Man I de Lévis is given the title of a feudal lord and within the 14th century the household constructed a fort on the hill close to Mirepoix. Initially the fort was designed in a quadrangular form with 5 sq. towers. However sadly, development stopped as Francois de Lévis died. It wasn’t till the fifteenth century that Jean IV altered the design and at last completed its development. He wished it to be higher protected towards assaults.
- Jean’s son continued the restoration of the fortress and included extra components which might be typically seen within the châteaux of the Loire Valley, with grand staircases and a chapel.
- Within the seventeenth century, it’s Louise de Roquelaure (the widow of a Lévis descendent) who provides terraces, statues, French gardens, and ponds that cowl over 15 hectares. There may be even a “Corridor of Mirrors”, very similar to what you’d see in Versailles. Because of this, the château is nicknamed, “Versailles des Pyrénées”.
- In the course of the French Revolution, one other Lévis descendent, Charles-Philibert was arrested and despatched to the guillotine in Paris. The château was looted and a number of the stones from the château had been offered off. The remainder was to be destroyed nevertheless it was not fully demolished. It was transformed right into a stone quarry and warehouse and was finally offered. As a consequence of a few years of neglect, it fell into smash.
- In 1889 the château was classed as a historic monument and in 1919 duke Antoine de Lévis-Mirepoix purchased the château. He offered it within the Eighties to a
Francis Tisseyre. Since then there may be an affiliation comprised of greater than 40 volunteers that works with him to protect the fort and share its historical past. They’ve held particular occasions resembling fireworks, “vide grenier” (storage gross sales), Easter egg hunts, medieval gala’s, and equestrian competitions to assist elevate funds to forestall the location from deteriorating additional.
4. Previous Reveals And A Should-see Video
Earlier than the château was closed to common guests, one may additionally be taught extra about its previous by viewing a 20-minute video within the courtyard. It featured a 3D animated reconstruction that introduced the ruins to life and defined the evolution of the location. On the second flooring of the primary constructing, there was additionally a small show of artifacts and fashions curated by the native affiliation of Lagarde. They even created an in depth booklet (written in English) outlining the household historical past and architectural modifications by the centuries.
Whereas these reveals could solely be accessible throughout particular occasions now, you possibly can nonetheless get a implausible aerial view of the château due to this quick clip from the 2016 Tour de France: YouTube
5. The Château Is Up For Sale
After many wars and centuries of neglect, many sections of the fort had been deteriorating and the partitions, foundations, and constructions had been vulnerable to collapsing. The Division of Cultural Affairs banned them from having future visits and in the summertime of 2024 it was closed to the general public.
The homeowners and preservation affiliation that helps take care of the location determined that there merely weren’t sufficient funds to care for the in depth restoration. It might take tens of millions of Euros. They’d no selection however to promote the château.
It’s stated that the potential purchaser wouldn’t need to pay a cent for the fort. Nicely, not fairly. If a purchaser may very well be discovered, that particular person (or people) would wish to spend tens of millions on restoring the château to be able to make it accessible to the general public. Nothing is ever “free”.
6. Particular Occasions At Château de Lagarde
Now that the château is closed to the general public for excursions, the one probability you’ll need to see these ruins is once they have particular occasions, like this one in the summertime of 2025:
- Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025
- Time: 9:00 am to six:00 pm
- Theme: Classic vehicles and bikes.
- Refreshments and meals will likely be accessible on website.
- Deal with: 09400 Lagarde, Ariège
If you happen to’re all in favour of extra locations to go to associated to medieval occasions and castles, take a look at these posts: Experiencing Medieval France, Cité Medievale de Conflans In Albertville, and Le Château des Baux de Provence.
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