En un regard
Le château en bref
The Tour d'Hautefage dominates the village to which it gave its name, Hautefage-la-Tour, in Lot-et-Garonne. This medieval fortification was begun on the initiative of two bishops of Agen, lords of the place, and local tradition has it that the construction was never quite brought to completion. Its hexagonal plan, uncommon in the region, sets it clearly apart from square or circular keeps. It rises over a ground floor and three storeys, crowned by gabled roofs (bâtière). At the south-west corner, an engaged octagonal turret houses a spiral staircase that served the levels. The entrance is marked by a Renaissance-style doorway surmounted by a pediment, evidence of later alterations. Inside, the floors have disappeared and no internal division of the storeys survives. Listed as a monument historique as early as 28 May 1883, the tower now belongs to the commune and serves as the village's landmark.