BONAGUIL CASTLE
The impressive Bonaguil castle is the most visited monument in Lot-et-Garonne.
Bonaguil is the castle as we imagine it in the stories of knights and princesses. One would hardly be surprised to learn that a dragon is hiding in its cave... It is also the castle of all the superlatives: "the most beautiful", the largest (its external enclosure is 350 meters long) and certainly the last castle built in the kingdom! As early as 1271, the existence of Bonaguil is mentioned in a document. It is then only a simple stone tower, the base of the current keep. It is necessary to wait around 1490 so that the powerful Bérenger de Roquefeuil, lord of the area, begins about fifteen years of work and makes of Bonaguil the castle of exception which it is today. Built in a period of transition, between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the fortress has never been attacked, hence its remarkable state of preservation. It evolved over time, softening in the second half of the 18th century when Marguerite de Fumel transformed it into a residence and fitted it out in keeping with modern tastes, before finally succumbing to the French Revolution which proved fatal. Dismantled by the Convention, which left only the stone structure, the castle was finally bought by the commune of Fumel in 1860 and classified as a historical monument in 1862.
Time passes (8 centuries already!) and it gets younger! Bonaguil lends itself gracefully to the restoration campaigns that are responsible for restoring its beauty. As part of a renovation, the fortress has been fitted with a new drawbridge, an essential element in its status as a fortified castle (there were 6 of them in the time of Berenger de Roquefeuil). It is the bridge of the courtyard of the Lodges, which formerly served the lower courtyard and the domestic parts, which benefited from the work. In 2016, the restoration work concerned on the one hand the Tower of the Bakehouse and the bread oven, and on the other hand the southern staircase, behind the well. This staircase, once the most used, connected the two main levels of occupation. It has been entirely restored and allows direct access from the main courtyard to the entrance of the cave. The castle has been equipped with new period weapons such as crossbows, spears and harquebuses, which can be seen on display. The path that leads the public from the bottom of the village to the entrance of the castle has been redone and illuminates the climb.
Today, Bonaguil welcomes around 70 000 visitors per year, which makes it the most visited monument in the Lot-et-Garonne. It lends its exceptional setting to numerous events such as the medieval festival in early July and the theater festival in early August.
Je n'ai pas fait la visite guidée. Cependant je connais personnellement le guide qui est un archéologue et passionné d'histoire.