Originally, Château de Légugnon was a former lay abbey typical of the region, built in the 16th or 17th centuries.
It was probably built in the early 16th century by the de Perer family, close to the Saint-Pierre church.
It was a two-storey house
The château rises to four levels in two bays, with an oak-beamed attic. The central staircase is housed in a tower higher than the dwelling. On the north-western side of the west facade, there is a ground-floor door to a dungeon, which opens onto a courtyard surrounded by outbuildings.
On the second floor was the room known as "Jeanne d'Albret's", Queen of Navarre from 1555 to 1572 and mother of French King Henri IV, who, according to tradition, stayed here for a few days during the Wars of Religion, on her way from Pau to Orthez to avoid the busy roads.
This "room of Jeanne d'Albret" features a vast alcove with a wooden frame. Carved wooden mantelpieces are topped by various stucco motifs in several rooms.
At the north-west end of the west facade, a small door on the first floor opening onto the courtyard led to a dungeon in which it was impossible to stand.
The facades and roofs of the main building and various outbuildings, including the dovecote and chapel, the enclosing wall bordering the road, the four gates and the bridle path were listed as Historic Monuments by decree on October 8, 1993.
In the 1960s, the château was bought by the municipality of Oloron-Sainte-Marie, who undertook its restoration, which lasted several decades but restored the château to its former splendor.
Today, Château de Légugnon is open to the public and houses a museum dedicated to the history of the region. Visitors can admire the castle's magnificent rooms, carefully tended gardens and enjoy the breathtaking view from the watchtower.
Château de Légugnon,
64400 Oloron-Sainte-Marie
https://lesamisdelegugnon.fr/le-chateau-de-legugnon/
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