Branzac Castle is located in the town of Pleaux, in Cantal. It is precisely located in the village of Loupiac, which merged with that of Pleaux, 11 km to the west.
Established on the right bank of the course of the Maronne, it was raised in the 15th century on land mentioned from the 14th century as a castellany belonging to Aymeric de Pestels, then to the Sieurs de Vigier and those of Vigouroux.
Among the descendants who own the fief, we note in 1636 Jean VI de Tubière, count of Pestels and lord of Fontanges, who married Madeleine de Bourbon, daughter of Henri III de Bourbon.
Later, the castle will be acquired by the Lignerac family and in 1777, by Paul d'Anglars de Bassignac (1718-1796) who was lieutenant of the Marshals of France in the department of Aurillac.
In the meantime, the current castle was built in the 14th century, in this case a manor house which over the centuries has served as a hunting lodge. Having the form of a long building of four floors with two rooms per level, in the Renaissance style, and endowed with round towers, it was very affected in the 19th century when one of the angles was dynamited so that the materials made it possible to build a viaduct for the nearby railway line.
The interiors were decorated with frescoes made in 1575 by Italian artists at the request of Camille Caracciolo, one of Catherine de Medeci's maids of honor, and at the time Countess of Auvergne. These frescoes were partly covered by light scenes in the 17th century.
For a century, the castle was abandoned and its furniture and fireplaces transferred to other sites in the region.
It has since been acquired by a new owner who has secured and consolidated the ruins.
Listed in the Inventory, the Château de Branzac is not accessible to the public but you can admire the remains of the estate with its romantic atmosphere after a hike.
Information on +33 4 71 40 58 08.
