After 4 years of meticulous restoration in the respect of materials and ancient techniques, the castle of Sibra, in the heart of the Cathar Pyrenees, has opened its doors, offering to the public romantic escapades or business seminars.
A little history...
The castle is built on a seigniorial property belonging to the abbey of Camon, whose owner, Louis de George, was ennobled at the end of the 16th century. In 1706, the seigneury was taken over by the monks of Camon.
Then, the domain became again the property of the George family, which became De Saint-Georges, until 1811 when it was bought by the Espert family, of which Pierre Espert, known as de Sibra, general of the Empire, was the most eminent member.
In 1878, Joseph Paul François Villary, known as de Fajac, acquired the site at auction and extensively remodeled the castle, giving it its current style. The work was carried out by a local contractor and an architect from Toulouse, Louis Mortreuil.
In 2017 Sibylle Thomke bought the Château de Sibra with the ambition to give it back its letters of nobility.
The castle, its park and all the annexes and factories are registered as historical monuments by order of July 7, 2004.
The Castle of Sibra
This is a fortified house that was extensively remodeled in the 19th century and has been listed as a historical monument since 2004.
In addition to its charming rooms and gîtes, the Château de Sibra offers several work spaces for the organization of workshops, seminars or creative workshops.
Passionate about architecture and history, Sibylle Thomke chose to restore the buildings as close as possible to what they were, while preserving the philosophy of the couple.
Thus, if the buildings were restored in the respect of materials and ancient techniques (painting with natural pigments, restoration of the tapestries, reconstitution of the floors... The decoration is tinged with elements of contemporary architecture, design and artmodern, which create an amazing bridge between past and future.
The vast English park of 15 hectares of romantic inspiration, composed of species from all over the world, a honey house and a rose garden, has also undergone a restoration that will continue for several years.
For Sibylle Thomke, owner and architect in charge of the restoration of the estate, "By restoring this estate, which is listed as a Bâtiments de France building, I wanted to protect it as much as to bring it to life. Until now very confidential, we are pleased to bring it back to life in order to welcome visitors and show them this jewel of history.
In the spirit of bed and breakfast, the restored estate offers five charming rooms in the castle, three apartments located in the old farmhouse, as well as a large cottage that can accommodate up to 14 people.
The Domaine de Sibra also offers several work spaces available for workshops, seminars and creative workshops.
Sibra can also host artists' residencies, through a creative space that can be dedicated to them, combined with the privatization of a room for several weeks.
Finally, the estate is also available for exclusive rental throughout the year.
Castle of Sibra
09500 Lagarde
Phone : 07 87 96 89 42
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