Castle of Caïx

The castle of Caïx , in the Batch, located in the commune of Luzech, with a score of kilometers of Cahors, is the current property of the queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and her husband, prince Henrik of Denmark (born Henri de Laborde de Monpezat), born in South-west, in Talence, and whose family is installed of long time in the property of Cayrou, close to Albas, in the Batch. The castle of Caïx is today a royal residence and a wine property producing Cahors of quality.

History

At the 14th century, the castle constitutes already place-strong to control navigation on the Batch. To the 15th century, the property belongs to the " of Couderc" , family of notaries of Luzech. In his “Book of hand”, preserved at the Public library of Cahors, the historian of Pouget reports that on March 26th, 1492 “perishes by water a full nacelle of poor people energy to gather alms with the castle of Caïx, because says it day, the lord of the known as castle has accustomed to make general alms with all poor which present themselves in front of the known as castle, the Maundy Thursday. ”. At the 16th century " of Courtois" are lords of Caïx.

In 1640, By its marriage with Helene the Courteous one, the president of the Court of the assistances of Cahors, Géraud Lefranc, whose residence cadurcian was located 43, rue Fondue-Haute, becomes lord of Caïx. “The castle of Caïx, writes the Duffo abbot, historian of Jean-Jacques Lefranc de Pompignan, is more picturesque; protected from the winds of north by an abrupt mountain, to which he is leant. Construction, of rectangular form, is flanked of four round towers, at each end, and of a square tower, in the center of the building, forming the southern part. Two principal frontages of midday and the east. In front of the frontage of midday, a beautiful terrace and a beautiful garden. A few meters further, on the mountainside and overhanging with a great height the river of the Batch, is an elegant view-point, decorated with seven round columns, Doric order. From there there is a superb sight, opposite Parnac, on the vast plain which extends to far. It is for this imposing panorama that Lefranc was going to seek the inspiration and composed its “Didon” and its poetic works. ” This castle was the favorite residence of Lefranc at the 16th century. The court of the Assistances being transferred to Montauban by Louis XIV, Lefranc goes there. The son, the grandson and the back grandson of Géraud Lefranc will be presidents of this hereditary load.

Jean-Jacques Lefranc de Pompignan

Thus was it of Jean-Jacques Lefranc de Pompignan, born in Montauban on August 10th, 1709, great-grandson of Géraud. It holds of name of Pompignan of the property which it holds in the Tarn and the Garonne where it made build a castle.

Raise with the Louis-the-Large Collège, in Paris, it had as a Master Poré, the teacher of Voltaire.

Excel Latinist, it is interested in poetry and the dramatic art. He is elected member of the Academy of Cortone, in Italy, and addresses to the occasion with his colleagues a Latin essay on Antiquities of the town of Cahors , where he gives an account of his archaeological research. He states that the Uxellodunum of César was located at Luzech. Magistrate, president of the court of the Assistances of Montauban, it attracts himself a reprimand of the chancellor of Aguesseau to have addressed to the king remonstrances on the misery of the people, and is exiled for a speech against the abuses. Translator of Éschyle, economist, famous for his devotion, in Caïx, it works in the view-point, writing, at 22 years, Didon (1734) his first tragedy, (which will be represented successfully in Paris, with the Comédie-Française). Its poetries register it in the list of the lyric poets of its century: " Poetries sacrées" (1751), " Ode on the death of Jean-Baptiste Rousseau " (1784). After the Academy of the Floral Plays of Toulouse, it enters to the French Academy, and, in its speech of reception, it fustigates the Encyclopédistes and becomes from now on the favorite target of Voltaire.

He liked his property of Caïx, which he called " Caïanus meus" , and was made call " Lefranc de Caïx". Its ground of Pompignan (Tarn-et-Garonne) was high in marquisat by Louis XV.

He wrote of this castle of Caïx:

And you who are to me so expensive old cradle of my fathers,

Château that they built on solitary edges,

Fleuve, wood and rocks, invaluable vineyard,

Will be you thus always distant from my eyes!

He died in Montauban in 1784.

His/her younger brother, Jean-Georges, were archbishop of Vienna, into Dauphine. Appointed clergy with the General states of 1789, Jean-Georges united with the Third-State, was minister of Louis XVI, then president of the National Assembly of Versailles. During its episcopate, it had mesh to leave with the “philosophers”, in particular Voltaire. Thus it against the projected edition of works of Voltaire published mandement. In 1747, he had pronounced the funeral oration of Dauphine and, in 1768, that of the queen Marie Leczinska. He died on November 1st, 1790 with Pompignan (Tarn-et-Garonne) at the 75 years age.

Property of the queen of Denmark

In the years 1960-70, the castle becomes the property of property of the queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and of her husband, born in the Batch, prince Henrik of Denmark (born Henri de Laborde de Monpezat). This wine property producing Cahors of great quality is also the estival stay of the Danish royal family. The queen and her husband organize there concerts sometimes for the benefit of caritative works like association: “Issia, why not? ”, one deals with the sisters of the prince, in religion, Catherine. The goal of this association is to bring a moral and material help to certain countries of Africa, in particular the Ivory Coast and Burkina-Fasso and a help with the young people and children of Issia, particularly the handicapped people. It is chaired by Antony Guilhou. In 2003, the queen and her husband organized a “white Festival”, all the guests were to be vêtus of white.

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