Villeneuve Lembron and its castle

The castle of Villeneuve-Lembron was constructed in the 15th century for Rigaud d’Aureille, maître d’hôtel of the kings Louis 11, Charles7, Louis 12 and François 1st. The castle offers the testimony quite rare of the seigniorial castle of the beginning of the Renaissance, with a purely symbolic defensive system. Erect in barony, the land of Villeneuve fell to the family of Montmorin in the early 16th century. Gaspard de Montmorin embellished the castle with a big decoration painted with grotesque: it remains of it some remarkable testimonies in the pomp room (window frames) and in the huge stables. In 1643, Villeneuve-Lembron was bought by Isaac Dufour, treasurer of France, who converted the old fortress. This castle is the property of the National Centre of Historical Monuments. The castle has been decorated with mural paintings, which remain vestiges in the two galleries of the corps de logis, on the outside walls and inside the chapel. The illustration of familiar maxims, such as “la Chiche-face”, or “l’Astrologue”, mixes with a decoration inspired of erudite literary references. You will also discover the Saint Claude church, from the 15th century, with its rich religious furniture and the old hotel of the Aureille family, and its Romanesque tower (historical monument, private property).