Château de Beauville - History and Facts | History Hit

Château de Beauville

Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

​The Château de Beauville is a castle consisting of a late 16th century home which has a wing whose foundations date from the old castle at the end of the 13th century.

Peta Stamper

12 Jun 2021
Image Credit: CC / MOSSOT

About Château de Beauville

The Château de Beauville in France is a castle consisting of a late 16th century home featuring a wing with foundations dating from the old 13th century castle.

Château de Beauville is located in the commune of Beauville in the Lot-et-Garonne département of France, atop a rocky promontory defending the village.

Château de Beauville history

Although the foundations of Château de Beauville date back to the end of the 13th century, the building was predominantly rebuilt during the 16th century. Much of the early Renaissance style was maintained, including mullioned windows and neoclassical doorways and fireplaces. In 1574, François de Beauville led the successful defence of the castle against the Protestants.

The castle belonged to Charles Maurice de Talleyrand in the 17th and 18th centuries, a prince and French clergyman who worked within the high levels of government during the reigns of Louis XVI, the French Revolution, under Napoleon and Louis XVIII. Talleyrand was largely distrusted by those he served, earning the association of his name with ‘craftiness’.

Château de Beauville was later used as Gendarmerie barracks from 1831 to 1976.

Château de Beauville today

Today, the Château de Beauville is a private residence, although you can clearly see the L-shaped castle when driving through the town of Beauville, as the road follows the corners of the building.

The thickness of the walls, the quality of the stones, the refinement of their dressing, demonstrate the use of particularly competent stone cutters and land surveyors, all of which have allowed us to see the Château de Beauville as it stands today.

Getting to Château de Beauville

Located along the Grand Rue road through Beauville in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Château de Beauville is best found via car. From Agen, Château de Beauville is a 30 minute drive via the D656, and from Montauban is just under an hour via the D43.

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