LARÉOLE CASTLE

About

The General Council of Haute-Garonne acquired the castle in 1984. Through ambitious restoration, this heritage classified as a historical monument is now open to the public. From May to September, a number of services are offered to visitors : guided tours, contemporary art exhibitions, live shows.

Guided tours are organised all year round, subject to booking, for adult leisure groups and school groups. Guided tours for adult groups, subject to booking and lasting approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, include a tour of the château from the kitchens up to the landing on the second floor of the main residence, as well as the French-style park. Guided group tours for school groups, by booking only and lasting a full day, include a tour of the château from the kitchens up to the landing on the second noble floor and the French-style park in the morning, followed by a treasure hunt in the afternoon. In 1579, Pierre de Cheverry, a prominent pastel merchant and a man of exceptional standing, commissioned the most renowned architect of the Toulouse Renaissance, Dominique Bachelier, to undertake the construction of the Château de Laréole. The construction of Laréole, as a holiday retreat, was completed in a very short space of time (barely three years), made possible by the owner’s considerable resources. The Château de Laréole has the austere appearance of a castle built during the Wars of Religion (moats, guardhouses, towers). Yet its defensive character is softened by a polychromatic mix of stone and brick, a distinctive feature of Laréole. Upon entering the courtyard, the fortress is completely forgotten. The understated décor and the covered walkway lend the whole complex a charm inherited from the Italian Renaissance. The true originality of Laréole’s architecture lies in this transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, between fortification and a country retreat. The main building is a prime example of the architectural avant-garde of the period. Reflecting Cheverry’s taste for luxury, it features a modern layout combining a large reception hall with private apartments. Pierre de Cheverry wanted a building in the finest ‘French tradition’. The property remained in the Cheverry family until 1707, when a wealthy banker from Toulouse, Jean-Pierre Colomès, purchased it. He commissioned work to enhance the château (a grand staircase and galleries adorned with stucco work), but above all, he undertook the creation of a park covering more than 20 hectares, in the finest tradition of 18th-century gardens. This layout, based on the principle of ‘French-style gardens’, strikes a perfect balance between sweeping vistas, flowerbeds and wooded areas.

Spoken languages : English – Spanish

Prices

• From 5€

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Environ 33 min (2811 m).

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