castle of Mazères

The Château de Mazères overlooks the Baïse valley in the commune of Barran, in the Gers department, and was for centuries a country residence of the archbishops of Auch.

What stood here before the château we see today

Long before any stone walls rose on this spot, the ground had already been settled in Gallo-Roman times. An earlier stronghold on the same site is documented as far back as the year 1000, meaning the property carries roughly a thousand years of continuous building history behind its current form. Church ownership took shape gradually: starting in the 11th century the archbishopric of Auch began accumulating nearby land through donations, and by 1080 vineyards belonging to the Mazères estate were among them. The decisive gift came in 1090, when Pierre de Vic handed over the whole domain upon becoming a canon of Auch Cathedral.

How successive archbishops shaped the château

Because Mazères functioned as an archiepiscopal residence, its appearance changed with the tastes and ambitions of the men who held that office. Jean de la Trémoille, archbishop from 1490 to 1507, added a new south-facing gateway and dug the moat that still surrounds the building. A far more sweeping transformation came under Dominique de Vic, archbishop from 1625 to 1661, who enlarged the château substantially, built new outbuildings on the south side and pavilions to the east, and reworked much of the interior. A final wave of refinement arrived with Jean-François de Montillet, archbishop from 1742 to 1776, who had large windows cut into the façades and commissioned finer interior décor.

From revolutionary sale to modern restoration

The French Revolution ended the château's ecclesiastical ownership: it was confiscated and sold as national property. What followed was a long stretch of changing hands, with owners who often had little interest in upkeep, and the building gradually fell into disrepair. One striking chapter came during the First World War, between 1914 and 1918, when the château was pressed into service as a military hospital for wounded and sick soldiers. Decline continued for decades afterward, until 1981, when the property was bought by Monsieur and Madame de Margerie, who launched a major restoration campaign to bring the long-neglected building back to life.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Château de Mazères? It stands in the commune of Barran, in the Gers department, above the Baïse valley, on ground already occupied in Gallo-Roman times.

Who is responsible for the château's current appearance? A succession of archbishops of Auch shaped it over centuries, most notably Jean de la Trémoille, who added the moat and south gateway, and Dominique de Vic, who greatly enlarged the building and remodeled its interior in the 17th century.

Did the château ever serve a non-residential purpose? Yes — during the First World War, from 1914 to 1918, it operated as a military hospital treating wounded and sick soldiers.

When was the château restored? After decades of neglect and several changes of ownership following the Revolution, a thorough restoration was undertaken by Monsieur and Madame de Margerie, who acquired the property in 1981.