Our parents bought the château in 1968. Our father, who was originally from Roanne, was a teacher at the École Boule (famous French art college) and an architect, while our mother, who was born in Bordeaux, was a history and literature teacher. She introduced our father to Périgord Noir, as she had fond memories of it from when she was a child. Our father who was naturally attracted by contemporary projects, fell under the spell of the region and its architecture. That's how they came up with the idea of buying a typical Périgord house to restore. They were only just 35 when they bought the Château de Lacypierre, and it was a case of love at first sight that changed their lives and ours. But it was a "standing ruin". The whole family went to live there in a very Spartan way in 1970. We were ten and six years old, and the years that followed would leave us with indelible memories that continue to inspire us to continue our parents’ work, who have now left us.
The château is remarkable both because of its human proportions, with four large adjoining rooms, two of which have been converted into rental accommodation, and for its authentic Périgord feel. The yellow ochre stone that shines golden in the setting sun, the magnificent lauze roofs and the crown of holm oaks which it nestles in and from which it shows itself to us. The main building and the hexagonal staircase tower date back to the late 15th century, and were enhanced in the 17th century with triangular pediment roof dormers centred on wooden mullioned windows and a baluster balcony. Finally, a small pavilion was added to the building in the 18th century.
It was a former feudal stronghold belonging to the Ferrières family. It was taken over by the Benié de Lacypierre family in 1462. They gave the house its current appearance and lived there until 1846, when it was sold to the Malbec family, who left it as a farm run by sharecroppers. The Benié de Lacypierre family owned a private mansion in Sarlat where father and son were royal prosecutors at the Présidial, the royal court. For them, the château was a country house, farm and an investment. The last of the family, Guillaume de Lacypierre (1734-1826) was bodyguard to Louis XV and Louis XVI. Awarded the Order of Saint-Louis by Philippe de Noailles, Duc de Mouchy at the age of 52, he emigrated to Coblentz in 1792 and was not reunited with his family until ten years later.
We offer a timeless stay away from it all in our château, at the entrance to the picturesque village of Saint-Crépin in the heart of the Périgord countryside, not far from Sarlat. We offer our guests self-catering accommodation on the ground floor, with its own private garden decorated with period furniture and family heirlooms. It is a place where you can relax, unwind and share our love of history, architecture and nature. Our mother devoted an entire book to the history of this château, this family and, more broadly, this parish. During the visit we give our guests, we describe the adventure our parents undertook, who devoted their lives to restoring this house and at the same time we intersperse it with stories about the Guillaume de Lacypierre.
"Nos Fermes", a shop selling local produce in Salignac. La Couleuvrine restaurant in Sarlat, set in a 14th-century rampart tower. Sites we particularly like because they are also restoring and promoting a remarkable heritage: the gardens of Eyrignac, the Château de Commarque, the Château de Fénelon, the Château des Milandes. Off the beaten track: the Cheylard chapel in Saint-Geniès (ask for the key at the town hall), Saint-Amand-de-Coly abbey, La Grande Filolie. The villages of Daglan, Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère and Cénac-et-Saint-Julien. For walkers, there's a round trip through our little commune and the village of Carlucet, with its Romanesque church and tomb niche cemetery.
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