Grézan Castle Art & Culture Centre

En un regard

Le château en bref

Grézan Castle stands in the commune of Laurens, in the Hérault department, in the heart of the Faugérois wine region. Of medieval origin, the site was a commandery of the Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (according to the Mérimée notice; the tourist office mentions the Templars) before becoming a large wine estate in the nineteenth century. The present complex results from alterations to the older fabric between 1820 and 1888, followed by a remodelling in 1890 for Gabriel de Mirepoix, under the direction of the architect Louis Garros, in a neo-medieval spirit inspired by English neo-Gothic models. Working buildings, the owners' residence and service quarters are arranged around a large courtyard, enclosed by a crenellated curtain wall with turrets and an entrance block; a designed park completes the composition, and the sculpted decoration reuses elements from the commandery. The castle has been partially listed as a monument historique since 1993. A privately owned property, it houses a wine estate (AOC Faugères) and hosts contemporary art exhibitions.