We know that a castle already existed at Saint-Saturnin in the 12th century, initially belonging to a lord of Cénaret, Count of Montferrand, from the family of Pope Urbain V. At that time, a list of fiefs located in the diocese of Mende indicates that the castle was a “royal fief”, i.e. directly dependent on the King of France.
Château de Saint Saturnin, dating from the early 14th century and remodeled in the 16th and 17th centuries, in the heart of a charming Lozère village, nestled in the cirque de Saint Saturnin (Causse de Sauveterre). Château de Saint Saturnin, dating from the early 14th century and remodeled in the 16th and 17th centuries, in the heart of a charming Lozère village, nestled in the cirque de Saint Saturnin (Causse de Sauveterre).
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Saint-saturnin castle
At the foot of the impressive rocky cirque, a fairytale castle...All about
Saint-Saturnin castle
Château de Saint Saturnin in the Lot ValleyChâteau de Saint Saturnin in the Lot Valley
Saint Saturnin de Tartaronne and its 13th-century château. It lies at the foot of the Causse de Sauveterre cliffs, 3 km from Banassac in the Lot Valley.Saint Saturnin de Tartaronne and its 13th-century château. It lies at the foot of the Causse de Sauveterre cliffs, 3 km from Banassac in the Lot Valley.
Saturnin de Tartaronne - Lot ValleyChateau de St Saturnin de Tartaronne - Lot Valley
Château de Saint Saturnin in the Lot ValleyChâteau de Saint Saturnin in the Lot Valley
DID YOU KNOW?
The Château de Saint-Saturnin is one of the best-preserved castles in the Lot Valley.
Saint-Saturnin castle
History and architecture- The square tower is probably the oldest architectural feature of today’s château. It dates from the late 13th or early 14th century.
- The main building is located on the south side, which is the most exposed and least vulnerable.
- Other secondary buildings are built against the walls of the quadrangle.
The 16th century was the time of the Wars of Religion. The north-east tower was rebuilt. Larger and more comfortable, it was used for both housing and defense.
Around 1630, a Baron de Cenaret sold the château to Louis de Loubeyrac, who married his daughter to Bernardin Ysarn de Freissinet, Baron de Valady. The couple decided to make Château Saint-Saturnin their main residence. Major renovations were carried out to make the château more suitable for this purpose.
- The main building was remodeled and three monumental fireplaces, still visible today, were built.
- The staircase serving both parts of the main building was built.
- A west wing was also built, with large windows and a majestic door surmounted by the family coat of arms.
The château was the principal residence of the de Freissinet family until 1752, when the Marquis died prematurely and his widow decided to leave, entrusting it to the estate’s farmer for some forty years.
saint-saturnin castle
Private propertyIn 1794, the château de Saint-Saturnin belonged to Godeffroy de Freissinet-Valady, a deputy from Aveyron sentenced to death at the Convention for voting against the King’s death. His estate included “an old château at Saint-Saturnin”. Two years later, his widow decided to move into the château and begin repairs, the last before it fell into disrepair.
In the absence of a direct heir, the next occupant was Count Charles-Casimir de Freissinet-Valady de Laguépie. He did not maintain the château, ceding part of the ground floor to a farmer in the 1840s and bequeathing it to the bishopric of Mende on his death. The bishopric turned it into a summer residence for members of the clergy, before selling it for a pittance to finance the completion of the porch of Mende cathedral.
The buyer was Monsieur Camille Samson, who turned it into a materials warehouse for his recycling business. At that time, the château was already very dilapidated, but the roofs of the buildings were still in place. The entrance wing to the west still has its framework, its ruin probably being the result of the dismantling of the portal, sold to Château de la Caze in Laval-du-Tarn in 1910. Camille Samson’s descendants then sold it to the Conseil Général, who sold it in 1995 to private owners, the De Feydeau family, who are still the owners today, and began rebuilding it.
Today, the towers are no longer in danger of collapsing, and the roofs, as well as parts of the dwelling and the keep, have been restored. The work is still in progress, although the château has already regained some of its former grandeur. The château is open to visitors in summer and during the European Heritage Days.
Four A Paint Saint SaturninFour A Paint Saint Saturnin
DID YOU KNOW?
Charles Casimir de Freyssinet, the last Count of the château, was a cultured man who studied in many French and European cities. Following his travels, he returned to live in seclusion in his château at Saint-Saturnin. According to the villagers, he spent his time covering the castle walls with indecipherable writing and a frieze of endlessly repeating motifs. He slept in a rope bed covered with a shroud, and on stormy evenings, he would take up residence in the library, slash his skin and dip his quill directly into his blood, annotating a number of now-cursed works.
The locals tell of several occasions when he climbed the mountain carrying a huge bag of pebbles, which he would discard at the summit and continue to do until dawn, like a wretched Lozerean Sisyphus. On other evenings, he would go to the chapel adjoining the château, or to the cemetery, where they would let out appalling screams that would make the villagers’ blood run cold. The old man with the great white beard was said to have gone mad living alone in this cursed castle.
He died in 1863 at the age of 78. Some say he died in the hospital in Mende, where he was being treated for his mental illness, while others claim he ended his days in a cabin he had built in the forest. We don’t know if all the stories about his life are true, but the legend is still alive in the minds of the villagers. On his tombstone, still visible in the cemetery adjoining the chapel, is written in Latin: “Ci-git casimir, comte de Freyssinet, de naissance illustre, plus noble par sa foi, sa religion et sa vertu austère.”
- When can I visit Saint-Saturnin castle?
Off-season (mid-April, May, June, September, mid-September) Thursdays at 2:30pm, by reservation from La Canourgue Tourist Office on 04 66 32 83 67. In summer, Tuesdays and Thursdays in the afternoon, without reservation. The château can also be visited during the European Heritage Days in September.
- Is access authorized outside the visiting period?
The Château de Saint-Saturnin is a private monument, and access is strictly forbidden outside visiting hours and days. You can, however, admire the castle from the outside (village streets).
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