Château de la Faurie
CastleHidden Treasure
Château de la Faurie, located in Le Change (Dordogne), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Castle
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Le Change, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 45.1949, 0.8926
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082474
Nestling in the Périgord Blanc region, this small medieval manor house boasts a 15th-century circular defence tower with a corbelled parapet walkway and an elegant Renaissance spiral tower, all set in an unspoilt enclosed courtyard.
History
In the heart of the Périgord Blanc region, just a few leagues from Périgueux, Château de la Faurie embodies the quintessential Périgord manor house: discreet, authentic and remarkably coherent architecturally. Far from the pomp and circumstance of the great royal residences, it is precisely this integrity that has made it so attractive that it has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1948 - a recognition of its heritage value that is rare for a building of this scale. What sets La Faurie apart from so many other Périgord residences is the way it has evolved over two centuries. The 15th-century circular tower, with its parapet walk supported on stone corbels, bears witness to an era still marked by the scars of the Hundred Years' War, when even small lords had to defend their estates. The gabled tower housing the spiral staircase, added in the 16th century, reveals the desire for a certain level of domestic comfort typical of the provincial Renaissance. The enclosed courtyard, flanked by the outbuildings that are still in place, provides an almost complete picture of the organisation of an aristocratic country estate under the Ancien Régime. Each building tells its own story: dwelling, agricultural outbuildings, defensive access - a whole that makes La Faurie a living document of Périgord rural society in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. The natural setting of Le Change, a wooded commune in the Auvézère valley, envelops the manor house in the serene greenery typical of the Périgord Blanc region. This area of light-coloured limestone and oak forests has produced a sober architectural style, using local stone as the only material of expression, without ostentation but with constant attention to detail. The attentive visitor will notice the quality of the work of the stonemasons in the mouldings of the openings and the sculptures of the corbels.
Architecture
Château de la Faurie illustrates the type of Périgord manor house with an enclosed courtyard, typical of the small landed gentry of Périgord between the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The complex comprises a main dwelling flanked by two separate towers, each reflecting a different period, and surrounded by outbuildings that close off the inner courtyard. Local limestone, which is light and easy to work, is the only material used in the construction, giving the building the luminous blond hue typical of the Périgord Blanc region. The 15th-century circular tower is the most characteristic feature of the defensive system. Its parapet walk supported on sculpted stone corbels is representative of the light fortifications adopted by the small Périgord aristocracy after the Hundred Years' War. These regularly spaced corbels supported a parapet for surveillance and, if necessary, close defence. The top of the tower also provided an observation post over the entire estate. The sixteenth-century gabled tower, which houses the spiral staircase, adopts a more complex plan than the simple medieval cylinder: its canted sections and carefully proportioned daylight bays reveal the influence of the provincial Renaissance, evident in the care taken with the mouldings of the openings and the quality of the ashlar workmanship. The enclosed courtyard layout is a key feature of this monument. The outbuildings, agricultural and domestic buildings arranged in a U-shape or square around the central courtyard, create an enclosed interior space that was both a place for daily work and a basic security enclosure. This ensemble, the coherence of which is recognised by heritage departments, makes La Faurie a particularly clear example of rural seigneurial architecture in Périgord.
Related Figures
Famille seigneuriale locale du XVe siècle — commanditaires présumés de la tour de défense circulairePropriétaires Renaissance du XVIe siècle — commanditaires de la tour à escalier à visInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (1948) — auteurs de la décision d'inscription protégeant l'édifice
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Château de la Faurie located?
Château de la Faurie is located in Le Change, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Château de la Faurie built?
Château de la Faurie dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Château de la Faurie open to visitors?
Château de la Faurie is currently closed to visitors.