Clan Rising
Château de Cordès today

France · Restored

Château de Cordès

Château de Cordès is a privately owned castle in Orcival, Puy-de-Dôme, France, listed as a monument historique and open to the public. The site includes formal and topiary gardens listed as a Remarkable Garden of France. The present château preserves medieval masonry with later residential rebuilding and 17th–18th century garden layouts.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1700

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1700

What Château de Cordès looked like in its prime.

A compact stone château built of dark, rough local volcanic masonry with two round drum towers flanking a taller rectangular central tower; steep, slate-covered conical and pyramidal roofs punctuate the silhouette. The frontage opens onto a clipped topiary parterre with gravel paths and a small formal basin, trimmed hornbeam alleys approach the house, and the masonry shows regular small windows and a pronounced vertical gate/tower element; condition at prime: complete and occupied.

Its story

The story of Château de Cordès.

The original castle at Cordès, in the commune of Orcival in the Puy-de-Dôme, dates from 1268, when it belonged to Guillaume de Chalus. His family occupied the castle for nearly four hundred years, and the present château still preserves medieval masonry beneath the later residential rebuilding. In 1659 the Chalus sold it to Emmanuel d'Allègre.

Emmanuel's son Yves de Tourzel, the Marquis d'Allègre, who became a marshal of France in 1724, rebuilt the castle and transformed it into a residence, and in 1695 commissioned the workshop of Le Nôtre to lay out the garden. Privately owned and open to the public, the château is classified as a historic monument, and its formal and topiary gardens are listed among the Remarkable Gardens of France.

Step inside

9 places to explore in 1700.

The record describes 9 distinct spots at Château de Cordès, including 3 interiors: interior: chapel with carrara altarpiece, interior: sculptured tomb of yves ii, interior: living room with 18th-century plasterwork. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Hornbeam approach alleyFront topiary parterre with basinFormal gardens with basinsLabyrinth with central rose gardenSioulet River façade with machicolationsMain courtyard and round towersInterior: chapel with Carrara altarpieceInterior: sculptured tomb of Yves IIInterior: living room with 18th-century plasterwork

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Whose castle

Clans who held Château de Cordès.

The families that held Château de Cordès for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Chalus

    Held by the Chalus family for nearly four hundred years from 1268, until sold in 1659.

  • Allègre

    Bought by Emmanuel d'Allègre in 1659; his son Yves de Tourzel, Marquis d'Allègre, rebuilt it as a residence.

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Château de Cordès.

Questions about Château de Cordès

What is the history of Château de Cordès?

Château de Cordès began as a medieval castle dating from 1268. It belonged to Guillaume de Chalus, whose family held it for nearly four hundred years before selling it to Emmanuel d’Allègre in 1659. His son, Yves de Tourzel, rebuilt the castle as a residence and commissioned the workshop of Le Nôtre to lay out the gardens in 1695.

What is inside Château de Cordès?

Inside Château de Cordès are a chapel, a Carrara marble altarpiece dating from the 16th century and the sculptured tomb of Yves II d’Allègre. The living room has 18th-century plasterwork. Other interior features include stucco, painted wood, stone fireplaces and terracotta-tiled floors.

Where is Château de Cordès?

Château de Cordès is in Orcival, in the Puy-de-Dôme département of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. It stands at an altitude of 900 metres. The castle is situated within the commune of Orcival, in the historic Auvergne region.

When was Château de Cordès built?

Château de Cordès was first established in the 13th century, with the original castle dated to 1268. The fortification dates from the 15th century and was remodelled in the 17th century. Later work transformed the medieval building into a residence.

Which family or clan held Château de Cordès?

The Chalus family held Château de Cordès for nearly four hundred years, from 1268 until it was sold in 1659. Emmanuel d’Allègre then bought the castle. His son, Yves de Tourzel, Marquis d’Allègre, rebuilt it as a residence.

What did Château de Cordès look like in its prime?

Château de Cordès is a compact stone château built from dark, rough local volcanic masonry. Two round drum towers flank a taller rectangular central tower, with steep slate-covered conical and pyramidal roofs. Its frontage faces a clipped topiary parterre with gravel paths and a small formal basin.

Is Château de Cordès still standing or is it a ruin?

Château de Cordès is still standing and has been restored rather than left as a ruin. The present château preserves medieval masonry beneath later residential rebuilding. Restoration of the château and recreation of the gardens took place in 1965.

Can you visit Château de Cordès?

Château de Cordès is privately owned and open to the public. It is also listed as a historic monument, while its garden is listed among the Remarkable Gardens of France. Public access therefore coexists with private ownership.
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