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Built in the 16th and in the 19th centuries,
the castle stands on the basis of an old fortress (mentioned as early as 1268) of which two concentric surrounding
walls and a small castle remain.
Passing the door of the small castle, you will enter in the castle itself.
Then, guided by the Master of the Castle, you will discover...
Important 19 th century stables and a magnificent
coach-house occupy the lower inner courtyard.
On the lower terrace, a polylobé pond faces a big Napoleon the third glass-house
(more than 150 m²). This big terrace is planted with century-old palm trees and
elms as well as many other different species: rose trees, pomegranate trees,
orchids, box trees.
Bordered with palm-trees, the huge
marble stairs give access to the upper terrace where the castle stands.
A glance around makes you discover a landscape, cut up by small valleys,
still unspoiled and covered with meadows and forest :
the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains.
What strikes however, from the very first,
is this famous 16 century tower with its François1 st door, carved with
Greeks small columns, with its acanthus capitals, its knot-work friezes and especially
its heads that seem to spring from the sculptures so typical of the beginning
of the first French renascence.
As a counterpoint to this frontage, side by side, the 19 th century part bordered
with two turrets, is a harmonious compromise between the two styles.
On each side of the tower,
magnificent windows show a rich architecture with delicately carved mullions and drip-stones,
their springs decorated with fantastic animals or beautiful sirens...
And the best is now to be discovered…
On the ground floor, there are two main wainscoted rooms, a winter garden with a ground decorated with splendid mosaic.
__The main room (state room) of 110 m² has a
neo-renascence monumental mantel-piece entirely made of delicately cut stone perfectly
fitted with a French ceiling and a Hungary-point floor.
__The drawing-room (50 m²) shows its walnut / oak joint floor, its French ceiling
and its 19 th century stone mantel-piece. It is entirely furnished in
Louis the 13 th style.
Lovers of beautiful work, enthusiastic about cabinet making, about history, mere sightseers, come and admire...
a collection of pieces of furniture unique in Ariège.
On the different floors, there is the museum part, follow the guide with,
presently in the order of visit of the rooms :
-
Louis the 13 th
-
Louis the 14 th
-
Regency
-
Louis the 15 th
-
Louis the 16 th
-
Empire
-
Louis Philippe
-
Napoleon the 3 rd
Walk down the corkscrew stairs to the neo-gothic
chapel with its painted paneled ceilings. All the rooms have been re-furnished in period furniture.
The inside decorations (mantel-piece, hung material), all are period furniture or
corresponding style.
The birth of the castle dates back
to the Gallo-roman time. In the 13 th century, the castle is mentioned.
Its history is known since 1268. In the renascence time or more exactly from 1527 to 1545, the castle of
Prat had undergone a first transformation due to Jean de MAULEON, the bishop
of Comminges. This prelate who had already shown his artistic tastes in restoring
Bonnefonds cloister and fitting the magnificent paneling of Saint Bertrand cathedral,
had reduced at least the outside protections of the castle and had laid out gardens
and elm-trees alleys. He also built the tower with its François 1 st door
and its corkscrew stairs.
In the 19 th century, Mr. de NOUAILLAN, as to him, had the ruins
of the fallen towers leveled, repaired the surrounding walls and replaced the
spartiate banisters by magnificent marble stairs.
Madame, in her turn, and under the learned direction of architect ROCHER has
taken up the restoration from the ideas of Jean de MAULEON but overall,
she has harmonized and decorated the inside of the castle and settled the
"nec plus ultra" of comfort for the time : running water, electricity,
central heating.
The "D’AVANCOURT" century (20 th century) was less
flourishing. The count embellished the sitting-room, building there
a magnificent mantel-piece and replacing by his own coat of arms the
de NOUAILLAN ones on the entrance door, and on the mantel-piece of the
drawing-room. His son André tried in vain to keep up the castle, lack
of means, gradually felt in ruins.
From this time there are two surrounding walls,
the entrance tower, two sections of the keep walls as well as the small castle.
Since 1996, Mr ARNHOLD worked wonders as regards restoration and registered this masterpiece for the Additional Inventory of Historical Monuments.
During this time, important works, such as roofs, floors, preparation of bed of flowers and pond had been undertaken.
The decoration of the
rooms and their furniture as well, had been ensured. In the two years
to come, gothic-renascence, and Napoleon the 3 rd rooms will
be opened to the public.The outskirts of the castle will be improved
peak where the castle stands cleaned up of parasite vegetation.
PRICES : 6 Euros
by person
free for children under 12 years old.
groups (10 people and more): 4 Euros each.
SCHOOLS : Schools contact visits plus activities mountain bike, speleology,
climbing, riding. CONTACT US.
From July 14 th to August 24 th, visits at 4 PM - 5 PM - 6 PM.
You can visit all the year, please contact us to make a reservation.
Association des
Amis du Château de Prat
Château de PRAT Téléphone : 05.61.96.68.01
E-mail :
09160 PRAT BONREPAUX
06.77.12.08.34
Postcards from the beginning of the century.
