Belcastel
 Aveyron

Situated in the NW of the department of the Aveyron, Belcastel is a small village on the banks of the Aveyron, 7 km from Rignac. Thanks to the architectural quality of the village and the beauty of the site it was added to the National Conservation Registry as early as 1942

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Belcastel: "Castel" means chateau or castle but "bel" can mean large in languedocien or war-like in the langue d'oïl.
Well before 1000 a pre-roman chapel existed on the site of Belcastel. A castle enclosing the chapel within its walls was built during the XIth century. By the XVth century the castle was in bad repair when it was acquired by Alzias de Saunhac who restored and modernised it adding larger windows. He also built the bridge which crosses the Aveyron as well as the church Sainte Marie-Madeleine on the
left bank. When he died, in 1448, he was buried in the church where his effigy still exists. The de Saunhac family lived in the chateau until the middle of the XVIth century. From then on it was abandoned and slowly deteriorated and would have become a total ruin. At the beginning of the 1970's,

however, the architect, Fernand Pouillon, visited Belcastel and was strongly impressed by the site. He bought the ruins of the old chateau and, without any public funds, he spent the next ten years restoring the building.  Fernand Pouillon died in 1986, and is buried in the village cemetery. In 2005 the chateau was purchased by American gallerists from New York who have opened most of the chateau up for public visits from April through October. The tour includes exhibitions of art and a collection of original armor. (Further information http://www.chateaubelcastel.com/ )
The restoration of the chateau made the inhabitants of the village realise the exceptionel beauty of the site. From 1983, with the help of financial support from the Department, the Region and the State, the local council have worked to restore and improve the village. The inhabitants have also made a big effort by improving the appearance of their houses and gardens with a profusion of flowers.

Since 1990, Belcastel has been elected as one of the "Plus Beaux Village de France" (most beautiful French Villages).

 
ÓChantal Moret & Mike Briley 1999-2011