Castle giveaway: you can get Chateau de Lagarde for free. No joke!

Often referred to as the "Little Versailles of the Pyrenees", Chateau de Lagarde in Ariege, close to the Spanish border and Andorra, is up for grabs for free. The only condition is that you are willing to make a solid and well-founded commitment to restore it.

The castle was built on a hill in the 11th century by the King of Aragon. At that time it was only a watchtower. Later, the territory became the property of the Levis, lords of the Ile de France and victors in the crusade against the Albigensians.

The Lord of Montsegur, Francois de Levis, transformed the tower into the largest and best protected fortress in the area. Originally, it had a quadrilateral layout with towers at the four corners, topped with merlons and connected by curtain walls.

Later, the owner built another wall with six semicircular towers pierced with cannon openings. It was not until the 17th century that the estate was surrounded by another wall with bastions.

Chateau de Lagarde also boasted a 15-hectare park with French gardens with various flower beds, groves, statues and a maze. That's what earned the castle its nickname - the “Little Versailles of the Pyrenees”. Its grandeur was unparalleled.

Unfortunately, the castle was plundered during the French Revolution, leading to its final decline. For centuries, it was completely abandoned while the locals used it as a quarry.

Some parts of the castle were open until the summer of 2024. The owner, Mr. Tisseyre, had a plan to rebuild the castle with income from visitors and fundraisers organized by Per le Castel, an association that takes care of the castle. But in 2024, the local authorities, supported by architectural experts, decided that the imposing ruin was extremely dangerous for visitors. Since neither the owner nor Per lé Castel had the means to repair and maintain the castle, it was decided to give it away for free.

Although it will cost absolutely nothing to get the keys to the castle, millions of euros will have to be spent on the subsequent preservation, stabilization and restoration of this historically significant property.

"If anyone wants it, they can have it," says the president of the association that manages the castle. "But the reality is that no one wants to take on this enormous financial burden. There are dozens and dozens of chateaux in this condition in France."

Are you ready to take on this once-in-a-lifetime restoration project?