CASTELNAU-PEGAYROLS

The village History The historical monuments The castle The medieval water supply system

The village :

19 km away from Millau gate to the Tarn canyon and not far from the Levezou lakes, Castelnau Pegayrols overlooks the Muse valley with an 180° open view from the Cevennes, chain to the Lacaune mountains, Roquefort and the southern part of the Massif Central

Dominated by its feudal castle, the medieval village of Castelnau features a picturesque maze of old streets and ancient houses still encapsulated inside its surrounding walls and watch towers. For art and history lovers it offers a rich architectural heritage.

No less than five historical monuments make this village one of the most remarkable of the Rouergue province.

History :

The situation of Castelnau on the spur of the Levezou mountains, enclosing the Muse valley and overlooking the surrounding countryside makes it easy to understand how important this fortified place (castrum) was and why it has always been jealously guarded.

Castelnau changed ownership only once through battle in 700 years from the XIth century to the XVIIth century when the Religious wars came to an end in the Rouergue province. Through their power, the Lords of Castelnau influenced not only the fate of their province but quite often that of the French Kingdom.

The House of Levezou, today one of the most ancient in France, established a fortified castle called "new castle" or "castel nau" whose existence was recorded from the XIth century.

In 1070, Aicfred de Levezou donated Castelnau's Church of St Michel to the Abbey of St Victor in Marseille to set up a monastery. Backed by some abbots native of Millau, Arnaud de Levezou became bishop of Beziers (1096) and archbishop of Narbonne (1112). He was to play a great political role as papal legate and governor of Toulouse for the Earl Alphonse Jourdain (1119-1121). His nephew Bernard would become bishop of Beziers.
The 2nd, 3rd and 7th crusades saw a member of the Levezou family leaving for the Holy Land. In 1289, Bernard de Levezou and Hugues d'Arpajon fought for the possession of Castelnau. After a legal duel on May 3rd 1289, Levezou had to hand it over to Arpajon.

The House of Arpajon gradually became the most powerful family of the Rouergue province but Castelnau was not their main residence. Under their domination (1289 to 1758), Castelnau went though a succession of periods of peace and of turmoil: the Hundred Year's war, the English occupation subsequent to the Treaty of Bretigny (1360)…With the end of the Hundred Year's war, Castelnau like all the Rouergue province enjoyed a period of relative prosperity under the protection of its surrounding walls. .

They will be of service again during the Religious war (1556 to 1632). The Arpajons of Castelnau became the warrior leaders of the Protestants, the city of Millau being one of their most active bastion.

Under the Arpajon family and until the end of the Monarchy, Castelnau used to be a small rural centre where monks (until 1734), the parish priests as well as many local noble men with houses in the village gathered together. The village was already ruled as a municipality. Two consuls were elected each year by the general assembly of the people living in Castelnau to administrate the "community". Their choice had however to be confirmed by the Lord of Arpajon or his representative. The consuls cumulated the duties of the mayor and of the collector. Dressed in a black and red dress, consuls took up their roles officially during the Sunday mass closes to the feast of St Andre.

In 1759 at Versailles, Louis XV founded the "Marquisat de Pegayrolles" of which Castelnau was the main town. It was granted to Etienne Hypolite de Pegayrolles, President of the Parliament in Toulouse. Unlike the Arpajon family, E Y de Pegayrolles did live in the castle of Castelnau which he redecorated. High Magistrate and "man of letters", Monsieur de Pegayrolles was known by his ultimate independence of spirit towards the royal power in conflict with the Parliaments (1764) or towards the revolutionary power. He was to join the side of the counter-revolution. Taking advantage of the constitutional freedoms, he founded a royalist club in Millau. He would be rapidly evicted (May 1791) and died (October 1794) victim of the Terror's jails.

In April 1834, a royal prescription of Louis Philippe creates the commune of Castelnau such that it is today.

Historical monuments :

St Michel church

Roman church of the XIth century. Originally built by Bernard Levezou on a ancient cult place, the church was rebuilt (1070-1082) by Jean Langobard to install a Benedictine monastery for the Abbey of Marseille.

 

Notre Dame church

Roman church (XIth-XIIth century) built for the Castelnau parish after the installation of the Benedictine in the St Michel church in 1082.

The vicarage

Rare well preserved example of convent belonging to the St Victor monastery in he Rouergue province. This monastery was founded by Bernard de Millau with Aicfred de Levezou’s donation in 1070.

 

The castle

The feudal castle was turned into a summer residence by the Marquis de Pegayrolles (1760-1780). It retains its strong walls and its vaulted medieval rooms.

The fortified walls

Dating back XIth century, with round towers, loopholes and in some places its rampart walk with staircases and crenels.

 

Streets and ancient houses of the village.

Vaulted passages, sculpted stones, ancient doors, mullion windows, old water mills with the canalisation system, fountains,…

Many thanks to Mrss. Olivier and François Paul Rossi, owners of the castle of Castelnau and Mr Gilles Bancarel, secretary of Castelnau and Levezou cultural centre for all the private documents needed to write this page.