The Must-See

Château de Fénelon

A Feodal fortress in the Périgord Noir

The Château de Fénelon is perched on a hillside and does not go unnoticed, as it dominates the Dordogne river. On the main road between Sarlat and Souillac, from Calviac, its caracteristic silhouette is visible in the distance. The Château de Fénelon is a gateway to the Périgord Noir and the first fortification blocking access to The Dordogne Valley. This well maintained unique fortress is a wonder to visit.

A bit of History...

The foundations of the castle were built in the 11th century by the noble Fénelon Family, who owned all of the land around Sainte-Mondane. Until the middle of the 13th century, the fortress was one of the last Cathar refuges of the Périgord-Quercy.

The castle was given to the English in 1360 during the 100-Year War by Captain-Brigand Bertrucat d’Albret. It was then taken over by the Duke of Anjou in 1375. It was considered to have too little defense, so the castle was fortified during the Religion Wars.

In 1410, the powerful Perigourdin family « Salignac », acquired the castle to take over the Dordogne Valley. The family lineage of Fénelon took the name «de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon».

On the 6th of August 1651, François de Salignac de La Mothe-Fénelon, the future tutor of Louis XIV grand-sons, an academic and a pioneer of the Philosophes des Lumières, was born in the castle itself.

This charming property is now owned by the Delautre family, who continue to maintain its beauty and unique character.

A timeless visit

of an extraordinary fortress in the Périgord Noir

As soon as your enter the castle grounds, you can venture up the hillside and admire a panorama of the Dordogne Valley, which is bound to take your breath away.

The ramparts

A UNIQUE DEFENSIVE COMPOUND

The originality of the castle dwells in its architecture, the defensive system is made up of a triple-fortified compound, flanked by eight towers and 2 châtelets (little castles). All of which are kept in a remarkable state.

During your visit, you will be overwhelmed by the path of ramparts leading to the castle, due to its scale and design.

When you arrive at the second châtelet which marks the entrance to the heart of the Château de Fénelon, you can admire the magnificent 35-meter-tall Lebanese Cedar tree, which was planted in 1651, for the birth of the writer Fénelon.

1er châtelet du XVIème, entrée du Château de Fénelon

magnifique cèdre du Liban de 1651, haut de 35m

A Castle

with magical architecture

Vues panoramique des remparts du château de Fénelon

La façade d'entrée et son escalier double révolution du XVIIème

In the middle of the polygonal compound with a fantastic view, the majestic Château de Fénelon proudly tells a lot about its history through its variety of architecture.

Admire the impressive building composed of a dungeon (13^thand 14th century), the tours (from the start of the 15th century), and its different façades.

The South facing façade (15th century), the East facing façade and the entrance façade, also known as the North facing façade (14th and 17th century) through which you can access the castles interior courtyard by going up the 17th-century double spiral staircase.

Lauze-stone

One of the castle’s most remarkable features has got to be the lauze-stone used on the roof. It has one of the most impressive and best-kept roofs in the whole of the Périgord Noir. Only a very sturdy frame made from chestnut wood holds the weight of the stone tiles.

The interior rooms

go back to the heart of History

The rooms are decorated and furnished with taste and they all respect the style used in that era. In terms of rooms, you can visit three bedrooms, a lobby, the Great hall, the kitchen with a lovely adobe floor, the room of armor with its huge collection of ancient armors, the cabinet of curiosity, and the first Empires bedroom.

You can visit these rooms by yourself and take time to contemplate the architecture, the collections, and the furniture, all of which make the castle a true work of art.
The many explanatory signs give you all the historical knowledge necessary for your visit.