Throughout 2019, the town of
Gourdon-en-Quercy will be commemorating the 400-year anniversary of the destruction of its castle, with a series of
special events. In addition, a book telling the story has just been published, using evidence from the town's extensive
archives. "1619, Gourdon en Quercy : le château disparu" is available in the local bookshops or
to borrow from the library.
The last lord of Gourdon was Pons de Lauzières-Thémines (1553-1627). His loyalty to the Queen Mother, Mary of Medici,
provoked the anger of the young King Louis XIII, who sent the Duke of Mayenne to take Gourdon in 1619. The castle was
quickly demolished by the Gourdonnais themselves, and its stones were reused in the construction
of the houses on the hill.
To find out more about the fascinating history of Gourdon and to see the scale model of the castle (see image above), we
highly recommend a visit to the town's museum,
La Maison du Sénéchal, which will reopen in April.
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