En un regard
Le château en bref
Three kilometres north of the village of Grazac, the ruins of the Château de Chabrespine occupy a rocky spur encircled by a bend of the Ruisseau de Musique, a tributary of the Lignon. Protected by cliffs on three sides, the site offered a natural defensive position, which its builders exploited from the 12th to the 15th century. In 1383, the fortress became the property of the barons of La Tour-Maubourg, a lineage linked to the Malet and de Faÿ families. The site is also known as the Château de Saint-Martial: according to tradition, relics of that saint were brought there in 1678, as well as to the neighbouring church of Grazac. Abandoned in the 18th century, the château gradually fell into ruin; only the south-east wing survives today. It is reached by a waymarked path from the village of Vendetz, beyond the hamlet of Cortial. Remote and bordered by cliffs, the site calls for caution during a visit.