A fortified house located between Brioude and Le Puy-en-Velay, Chavaniac-Lafayette Castle, built in the 14th century and rebuilt at the beginning of the 18th century, was the birthplace of the famous general Marquis de La Fayette, who would distinguish himself during the American War of Independence and the French Revolution. Also known as "the Manor of Both Worlds", in the 20th century the building belonged to an American philanthropic organisation, the Lafayette Memorial, before being taken over in 2009 by the Department of Haute-Loire.
On a visit to this historical attraction, which is strongly influenced by the legacy of the Enlightenment philosophers and their stance against slavery and in favour of Human Rights, you can learn about the life of this hero of both worlds, from birth to marriage with Adrienne de Noailles, as well as his American saga in the form of a film screened in a small reconstructed theatre.
The pleasant park, classified as a Remarkable Garden, has an arboretum filled with species from all over the world, a rose garden down from the main courtyard with a remarkable view over the castle, and the Lafayette Oak, planted three centuries ago by the Marquis' grandfather.
The unusual Moon Tree, between the rose garden and the arboretum, is a maple tree grown from a seed that travelled aboard Apollo 14 in 1971.
