|
Ladrat's posts with tag: gironde cazeneuve
|  | LE PARC (plus de 50 hectares)
Ne partez pas de Cazeneuve sans effectuer le tour du château par la droite après le pont de pierre. Magnifique promenade où vous découvrirez la motte médiévale, les contre forts, les arbres centenaires, les gorges du Ciron et la Grotte de la Reine, sur les traces de la Reine Margot son lieu de prédilection.
En poursuivant votre promenade le long de la rivière l'Homburens, vous passerez devant la fontaine, puis l'étang avec son moulin, son lavoir, son île aux oiseaux et la bambouseraie géante.
Au détour des allées et des bosquets il n'est pas rare de rencontrer quelques chevreuils, lapins de garenne,
lièvres, palombes,…
http://www.chateaudecazeneuve.com/
|
| | http://www.chateaudecazeneuve.com/jeu%20de%20cadres/cadre_index2.html
BOTH THE CASTLE and GROUNDS ARE CLASSIFIED MONUMENTS.
Welcome to Cazeneuve
THE CONSISTORIAL CHAMBER 1
HISTORY
This estate once belonged to a King of France, Henri IV.
The Seigneurs d’Albret, of whom Henri IV was a direct descendant, owned Château de Cazeneuve as long ago as the 12th century. The estate remained the property of the Dukes d’Albret and the kings of Navarre for four centuries. It was common in this period for kings to own many estates, but for centuries Cazeneuve was singled out as their favourite residence, and, consequently, they spent much of their time there.
King Edward I of England came to Cazeneuve with his wife, Eleanor of Castile, on November 29th 1287.
In 1572, Henri III of Navarre inherited Cazeneuve upon the death of his mother, Jeanne d’Albret (wife of Antoine de Bourbon, Duke of Vendôme). Seventeen years later, in 1572, he was crowned Henri IV, King of France, at which time he also inherited Cazeneuve. When he was “only” King of Navarre, he married Marguerite of France, Duchess of Valois. She was the daughter of Henri II (King of France) and Catherine de’ Medici. Queen Margot - as she was called - left a strong mark on Cazeneuve. Two other French kings came to the chateau at a later date: Louis XIII and Louis XIV. Their visits will be described later on in the text.
Today, after many successions and marriages, the Cazeneuve estate still belongs to the d’Albret family’s descendants, the SABRAN-PONTEVÈS, an famous family which has produced 5 queens, 2 kings, 2 saints, and a pope.
LAYOUT OF THE CHATEAU
As you walk around the castle, you can see that Cazeneuve is built on sheer cliffs at the confluence of the rivers Ciron and Homburens – an ideal defensive location. It was built on Gallo-Roman foundations, and consists of three main parts:
- La Motte, to the north, is the site of the original castle, made of earth and wood in the 11th century, later to become the keep.
- The main château was built in the early 14th century by Amanieu VII d’Albret with stone from the huge quarries on the estate, which also supplied building material for Bazas Cathedral. This irregular, polygonal castle surrounded a two-level inner courtyard, was much the same as the one that exists today.
Beyond the drawbridge and dry moat was the “town of Cazeneuve”. This was surrounded by crenellated battlements, protected by a wide moat, as well as a huge barbican outside the gate, called “Lusignan Tower”.
- The estate’s fortifications were damaged in successive wars. All that remains today are the pointed arch of the main entrance (called the “Triumphal Arch”) as well as large sections of the courtyard walls which act as a support for the adjoining buildings on the east side.
Cazeneuve was a real town in its own right, with a notary and captain of the royal hunt. The estate still has its own stables, chapel, vaults, gaol, and bread ovens.
The last significant reconstruction of the castle took place in the 17th century.
By 1595, Henri IV had been owner of Cazeneuve for 23 years. The King of France had fought a series of very difficult wars against the “leaguers” (members of the Sainte-Ligue) to reunite his kingdom. His estate at Cazeneuve suffered terribly during this period. The various wars in which he was involved cost a great deal of money, very nearly ruining him financially. Henri IV thus could not afford to restore the war-stricken estate, not to mention his deep involvement in state affairs in Paris. As he could not take care of it himself, he knew only one man worthy of this task, someone he could really trust and who was rich enough to restore the property.
That man was Raymond de Vicose, whom Henri IV regarded as his brother, although he was actually his cousin. Going far beyond family ties, Henri and Raymond were very close, inseparable since childhood. They were both brought up at Court, had fought battles together, dealt with state affairs together, and even went hunting together. Henri IV’s greatest proof of affection and esteem for Raymond was at the victorious conclusion of the Battle of Ivry, when he took his white plume, handed it to de Vicose and granted him the right to wear it on a golden royal helmet like his own. As they always fought side by side, it became very difficult to tell which was the King! Henri IV’s golden helmet topped with a white plume became Vicose’s emblem, and incorporated on his coat of arms.
Henri IV ended up by giving Cazeneuve to de Vicose, who converted the medieval castle into a sumptuous château de plaisance with two 17th century-style wings. He had the windows enlarged, a terrace built, fireplaces carved, etc. Henri IV’s while plume is engraved over the entrance gate, and will reign over Cazeneuve forever although it is slightly worn by the passing of time. Raymond de Vicose called his son Henri and the King of France naturally became his godfather.
The intertwined branches of ivy on either side of the cartouche over the fireplace in this room, known as the “consistorial chamber”, symbolize marital bonds. A monogram bears the initials R.B.S.: R.B. stands for Raymond de “Bissouze”, Henri IV’s nickname for his cousin, and “S” for Suzanne, his wife.
THE TERRACE
The château grounds, like the castle, are a listed historical site. They are visible from the terrace.
Henri IV took great interest in the château grounds, planting the stone pines which continue to proliferate to this day.
To the right are the remains of teh Old Town. Opposite, at the bottom of the moat, you can make out Queen Margot’s underground entrance (which has been blocked off for security reasons).
THE GROUND FLOOR GALLERY 2
In the early 16th century, this gallery was an unusual architectural feature - normally all the rooms would be interconnected as there was no corridor to provide separate access. The gallery is vaulted, as are all the ground floor rooms.
The walls are covered with fine 17th century Aubusson tapestries called “green tapestries”. The armchairs are also upholstered with ancient 17th century tapestries, as are the two chests decorated with the same geometrical patterns. A pair of chased-bronze ewers are exhibited on the larger chest, and an oriental perfume-burner on the smaller.
The backs of the Cordovan leather chairs bear the coat of arms of the Sabran-Pontevès family as well as their motto, noli irritare leonem, meaning “do not irritate the lion”. These are so-called “smoking chairs” because tobacco used to be kept inside them. People sat astride them in front of the fireplace. It is worth mentioning that tobacco was imported to France for the first time during the reign of Henri IV.
Above the door there is a bas-relief representing Henri IV on horseback. A statue in the same pose is located on the main square in Pau.
THE ARMOURY 3
The SABRAN-PONTEVÈS coat of arms, combining the Sabran lion and the Pontevès bridges, is displayed in the middle of the armoury,
On the left-hand side, you can see the coats of arms of the d’Albret family and Henri IV, king of France and Navarre.
On the right-hand side, you can see the de Vicose coat of arms with Henri IV’s white plume. The other coats of arms are those of related families who have lived on the estate: Caumont la Force, Rochefort Théobon, and Pons Saint Maurice.
Swords (the three in the centre bear a likeness of Henri IV), a medallion (on the right, above the door), cavalry sabers, and antique firearms, such as piston and flint-lock guns, have been hung on the walls.
On the right, a bust of General de Pontevès stands on a marble pillar. A hunting horn and several daggers are displayed on the chest at the front.
At the bottom, on the right, is a Louis XV Sedan chair.
Take the stairs up to the first floor.
THE FIRST-FLOOR GALLERY 4
This gallery, which runs along the entire east wing of the chateau, leads mainly to the bedrooms. It is floored with the original terracotta tiles.
Opposite the staircase, Joseph II de Sabran’s portrait hangs over the lovely crossbow-shaped Regency chests of drawers. He was lieutenant general in the navy (fleet admiral), and Commander of the Order of Saint Louis. He played an important role in the history of the French navy and is famous for his heroic behaviour during the battle of Santa-Maria (1759) off the Portuguese coast. At the time, he was in command of “The Centaur”. His mission was to protect the retreating French army, and he held his position to the end. He even loaded the last cannon with his own silverware. King Louis XIV congratulated him for his feat in front of the entire court.
When he came back from war at the age of 66, he married a 19 year-old girl. They lived together happily and had two children, whose story will be mentioned again in the Louis XVI bedroom.
On the left is a pastel portrait of Count Emmanuel de Sabran-Pontevès as a child. Father of the present owner, he died in 1981.
QUEEN MARGOT’S DRAWING-ROOM 5
Queen Margot’s portrait, surmounted by the Sabran lion, is hung above the imposing fireplace. The painting is small, as was usual at the time, since their owners never left them behind, taking them in their trunks wherever they went.
Queen Margot was King Henri IV’s wife. She was also the daughter of Henri II (King of France) and the sister of three French kings (François II, Charles IX, and Henri III). She spent quite a long time at Château de Cazeneuve and left her mark on the estate due to strong personality. In 1581, Henri IV put his wile under house arrest at Cazeneuve while waiting for the annulment of their marriage on the grounds that she had not been able to give him a son.
The young queen was reputed to be frivolous and fickle. According to rumour, she used to take the underground passage at Cazeneuve to meet her admirers at a cove near the river Ciron. Since then, the spot has been known as “Queen Margot’s Wood”.
One day, when Henri IV caught her and criticized her frivolous escapades, she replied:
“it is a crime to be fond of love?
Is it right to punish me?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,
And prisons, places of beauty, will never be!”
The last two sentences have been immortalised on the mantelpiece.
Even after their separation, Queen Margot remained Henri IV’s best friend and councilor. Henri IV, who remarried Maria de’ Medici, asked Margot to be godmother to his son, Louis XIII. The young Louis was like the son she never had, and even called her by the affectionate name of “M’man ma fille”. She loved this bantering way of speaking which reminded her of Henri IV. Later on, she made him her heir.
In 1620, Louis XIII stopped off at Cazeneuve on his way to Pau to register the Edict of Annexation. He drew great inspiration from his visited to the d’Albret manor, his ancestors’ home.
Louis XIII was succeeded by his son, Louis XIV, who also came to Cazeneuve. The portrait he gave to the family shows him at the age of 22, around the period when he was on his way to St Jean-de-Luz to marry Marie-Thérèse, the Spanish Infanta.
Opposite this portrait are several 17th century Dutch paintings on wood panels. Underneat is a Bordeaux-style chest of drawers by the door.
The Pontevès family portraits are displayed on either end of the fireplace. On the right is the mother of the second Duke de Sabran-Pontevès, a direct ancestor of the present owner. In one of the galleries at Versailles, there is a bust of their elder son, Louis, who was fatally wounded on the battlefield.
This drawing-room is almost entirely furnished with richly-carved and gilded Louis XV antiques.
Beneath the huge facing mirrors, there are two gilt-wood console tables, one of which is in a rather florid style called rocaille. The three gilt-wood armchairs are upholstered with antique tapestries.
Several lovely pieces of marquetry, such as the tomb-shaped commode and the small display cabinet in the corner also date back to the 17th century.
In the centre of the room, there is a beautiful table topped with bronzes known as “Chevaux de Marly” (Marly horses). The far wall is decorated with a magnificent 16th century Flanders tapestry which portrays Margot in a rural setting.
Finally, there is a very old Aubusson carpet on the floor.
LOUIS XVI’s BEDROOM 6
This room is entirely furnished with Louis XVI furniture a remarkable bed à la polonaise (Polish-style).
The commodes, bedside table, round bouillotte table, and semainie behind the bed are made of mahogany.
On the chest of drawers opposite is a bust of Queen Marie-Antoinette.
In the corner, the portrait on the easel shows the present owner’s great-grandmother. There are several beautiful bronze and marble mantelpiece ornaments on the white marble fireplace and two beribboned colour prints, one on either side.
Finally, a book in the display cabinet is open to show the portrait of a young female member of the family. She was much talked-about during Louis XVI’s reign and frequently mentioned in literature of the period. Many authors wrote about her, but the most famous, and the one who knew his subject best, was Chateaubriand. This young lady was none other than Delphine de Sabran, wife of the Marquis de Custine, who achieved fame as Chateaubriand’s mistress. He called her the “Queen of Roses”. In the cabinet, you can see some of her personal belongings as well as family mementoes.
Above the window, enclosing a pastel medallion, are two prints published in “Illustration” magazine. The one on the right shows the wedding of Delphine de Sabran and Marquis de Custine and, the one on the left, Queen Marie-Antoinette kissing Delphine’s young brother Elzéar. Delphine and Elzéar were the children of Admiral de Sabran, whose portrait is in the gallery
THE FIRST-FLOOR GALLERY (continued) 7
Back in the gallery
The huge Aubusson tapestry above the large Louis XIII carved wooden table recalls depicts the departure of the prodigal son.
On the door frame is a Renaissance painting showing the Duchess de Nemours, Henri IV’s granddaughter, in 1649. In her arms, she is holding her daughter, Marie-Elizabeth-Françoise who became Queen of Portugal on two separate occasions - she married two brothers, one after the other, as she had no children by the first.
On either side of the door are a pair of bronze lamps, bearing likenesses of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette.
Second part:
Just after the door, on the left, there is a Louis XVI console and overmantel. A splendid bronze and scale wall-clock hangs above the Louis XIII sofa.
On the right is a small music room.
And at the far end, there is a lovely “four-seasons” dresser with sculpted panels showing; spring (branches), summer (the harvest), autumn (the vintage), and winter (fire). Note the size and elegance of the hands, especially the fingers.
To the left of the chapel door, you can see Count Emmanuel de Sabrant-Pontevès, the great-grandfather of the present owner.
We have now arrived at the chapel.
THE CHAPEL 8
This chapel is unusual as it is on the first floor, where as they are generally to be found on the ground floor.
The chapel is vaulted with two aisles and a vestibule. There are seven windows, four looking onto the inner courtyard and the other three overlooking the river Ciron.
The vault is supported by six pillars, forming three arches over each aisle, two of which are connected by a stone parapet.
This chapel, formerly a courtroom, was established by Marguerite de Vicose, Marquess of Castelmauron in 1680, and dedicated to the Sainte-Enfance (holy childhood of Christ).
Above the altar is a painting representing Saint Elzear and Saint Dauphine de Sabran, patron saints of the family in the 13th century. St Elzear’s famous godson, Pope Urban V, was his sister’s son.
The statue represents Louis de Sabran, bishop of Laon, and Chaplain to Queen Marie-Antoinette. Opposite, you can see his cathedra (bishop’s throne), which opens to form a prie-dieu.
The antique panels on the front of the altar show the wedding of Rose d’Albret – daughter of Bernard Aiz V and Marthe d’Armagnac – to Jean de Grailly III, whose mother was none other than Blanche de Foix. This brilliant marriage, uniting the most renowned families in South-West France, was held at Cazeneuve on November, 27th 1350. The bridegroom was one of the leading captains of Edward III, king of England, and the first to receive the Order of the Garter from the King’s own hands.
Liturgical objects, chasubles and embroideries are exhibited in the Bordeaux-style cupboard with carved feet. The sacristy is behind the railings at the back of the chapel.
Painted copper panels depicting the Stations of the Cross are hung around the walls.
THE PATH ROUND THE BATTLEMENT 9
The path round the battlements is accessible via the covered gallery that leads to the chaplain’s apartments. The first chaplain at the castle was the Father Bérenger, appointed by Marguerite de Viscose.
The path, overlooks the river Homburens from a height of 20 metres. It was formerly part of the château’s fortification stystem. Later, it was used by the parishioners to go to religious services.
Return to the gallery
We now cross the gallery to Queen Margot and Henri IV’s bedchambers.
QUEEN MARGOT’s BEDCHAMBER 10
There is a fine deep-purple Aubusson carpet in the middle of the room.
A Gobelins tapestry hangs above the parquet furniture.
The wardrobe and stool are Louis XIII. There is a clock, decorated with gilded bronze, on a Louis XV writing desk. The marble bust on the mantelpiece is of Queen Marie-Antoinette.
Finally, there is a painting of Catherine the Great of Russia to the right of the bed.
KING HENRI IV’s BEDCHAMBER 11
On the foot of the bed (restored about two hundred years ago), are the intertwined initials “H” and two “F’s” symbolizing the alliance between France and Navarre under Henri IV.
The desk in the centre of the room is known as a “Mazarin”.
On the side table, in front of a period mirror, is a replica of the bronze equestrian statue of Louis XIV at Versailles.
There is also a superb Louis XIV walnut wardrobe. In the recess is a 16th century bust of a woman.
THE KING’S STUDY 12
Nothing seems to have changed in this room. Even the old books are still in place as though the king is expected to return shortly.
The 16th century arm chair in front of the window is one of the first made wide enough for women to sit in with their large skirts. This beautiful arm chair was given to Henri de Vicose (Raymond’s son) by Louis XIII along with the golden helmet and plume. The pattern embroidered on the armchair has also been carved into the crosspiece. The ends of the arm rests are in the form of human heads.
In the center of the fireplace, there is a portrait of the Princess de Conti, the daughter of Louis XIV and Madame de La Vallière.
All around the room there are engravings which show Henri IV playing with his children and their mother, Maria de’ Medici.
At the back of the room on the side overlooking the Ciron, there is an former secret passageway.
Visitors go back downstairs at this point
THE DINING ROOM 13
Two large japanware vases and a silver samovar are displayed on the mantelpiece, surrounding a lovely 17th century Moustiers dish.
Silverware and porcelain bearing the family coat of arms are set out in the 18th century silverware cabinet as well as in glass showcases and on the wall.
In the showcase on the left: Minton and East India Company china, as well as, at the top, several pieces of a large set of Bordeaux china (Vieillard).
On the right: very old Moustiers and, below, two very large East India Company dishes.
The table has so many leaves that they cannot all be put together in this room. The table is surrounded by 18 Directoire chairs. The large soup tureen is in old Montpellier china.
Finally, the statue in the recess shows Henri IV at the age of 12, and in the corner there is a Louis XIV clock “The Sun King in the upper part of the pediment”.
THE TROPHY GALLERY 14
The trophies on the wall show that we are in a region where hunting is very important. It was Henri IV’s favourile pastime at Cazeneuve. Items on display include stag and deer antlers, as well as ibex horns, although the majority are roebuck antlers.
The rather imposing elk horns are the only foreign trophies, and were brought back to Cazeneuve from Canada by an ancestor of the present owners.
Chests dating from Henri IV’s reigns.
THE KITCHEN 15
The large, rather plain, fireplace is built of dark-coloured, hard, local, ironstone, and contrasts with the glowing copper pans.
The dripping pans were used for spit-roasting or grilling poultry and game (wood pigeon) over the fire.
The period andirons are examples of a medieval tradition, with a straight “male” andiron, and a more curved “female” one. When a couple were married, each family provided one andiron, to make up the pair.
To the left is a stove that was heated by embers from the fire. The cake moulds over the stove are still used by the family.
Two Henri IV salt chests are still kept in the kitchen, one by the window, the other under the copper pans. Salt used to be very expensive and hard to obtain, so those who were lucky enough to have some used to sit on it to keep it safe. It was also stored near the fire to stop it from becoming damp.
In front of the stone kitchen sink is an unusually large grey marble mortar.
On the left is a set of bread-making implements from Provence (owned by the Sabran-Pontevès family), including a kneading trough, with a salt cellar and yeast box on the wall. The bread box on the wall above was used to store the bread.
The imposing ash-wood table in the centre of the kitchen is still in use. The table top weighs over 300 kilos.
This is the end of the tour, thank you for visiting Cazeneuve.
THE LOWER COURTYARD “FREE ENTRY”
Leaving the castle, on the right, go down to the lower courtyard, you will find the oldest parts of Cazeneuve:
• the Troglodyte Caves
• the Gallo-Roman Nyphaeum
• the Merovingian Sarcophagi
• the Medieval Cellars where great Bordeaux wines are being aged (cellar and exhibition of glass jewellery)
THE GROUNDS (over 50 hectares)
We suggest you do not leave Cazeneuve without taking a pleasant walk around the castle, leaving on the right after the stone bridge. You will discover the past the medieval motte, the buttresses, ancient trees, the Ciron Gorge, and the Queen’s Cave, following in the footsteps of Queen Margot to her favourite haunts. If you walk along the Homburens river, you will see the fountain and the pond with its mill, wash house, bird island and bamboo grove. It is also quite common to see deer, rabbits, hare, and wood pigeons, along the meandering paths through the grounds.
“A magical journey through time from prehistory to the present.”
OPENING TIMES
• From Easter to All Saints’ Day (November 1st), Saturday, Sunday, and Public Holidays: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• June, July, August, and September: every day, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (grounds open from 11a.m.)
• Picnic area, cold drinks
• Groups of 20 or more people are welcome all-year-round by appointment. It is possible to provide meals.
• The royal drawing rooms and grounds are available for private receptions, and catering may also be arranged by the Chateau.
CHATEAU DE CAZENEUVE
AQUITAINE
33730 PRECHAC - Tél-fax : 00 33 (0)5 56 25 48 16
Web site: www.chateaudecazeneuve.com
e-mail : cazeneuve@chateaudecazeneuve.com
A62 Motorway, Langon exit
We look forward to seeing you soon.
|
| | LE CHÂTEAU DE CAZENEUVE.
situé dans le sud Gironde, sur la commune de Préchac. Ancienne propriété des Rois de Navarre, du Roi de France Henri IV et de la Reine Margot, demeure actuelle de la famille Ducale des Sabran-Pontevès .
Cette visite prendra sans doute plusieurs jours, tant l'Histoire en est riche et complexe.
J'adresse mes remerciements à Monsieur Emmanuel Lussan .Il nous a permis grâce à sa grande connaissance des lieux et à sa disponibilité d'apprécier à sa juste valeur la beauté de ce château, ses richesses, son histoire. Nous avons vécu cette visite avec une grande émotion.
Il m'a fait également parvenir des documents qui m'ont aidé à préparer ce sujet.
Merci également au château de Cazeneuve qui fournit une documentation intéressante lors de la visite.
le site officiel:
http://www.chateaudecazeneuve.com/ |
|
