Château de Pontarion

En un regard

Le château en bref

The Château de Pontarion, at the western end of the village of Pontarion (Creuse), overlooks the D941 road and the Thaurion river. Built in the second half of the 15th century by Antoine d'Aubusson, brother of Pierre d'Aubusson and captain general of the gentlemen of the Marche and the Limousin, who put to use here the defensive experience he had gained at the siege of Rhodes, the building originally had seven towers, of which only remains survive today. Listed as a historic monument by decree of 29 October 1941 (reference PA00100132), the castle, then in ruins, was acquired in 1936 by André Roussel Le Roy, who undertook a major restoration: partial reconstruction of the towers, consolidation work and the reinstatement of interior features, including fireplaces decorated with the Maltese cross. On his death in 1973, his niece Suzanne Darricau took over the upkeep of the estate until 1994, after which her son continued the preservation work. An EF2 tornado, a rare event in France, struck the castle on 9 March 2023, tearing off the roofs and severely damaging the original timber roof structure; emergency and then permanent protection was put in place, and a 2024 survey estimated the restoration work at more than 500,000 euros, with major works planned for 2026. Still privately owned, the castle is the subject of a patronage campaign to fund its restoration.