Nouvelle-Aquitaine · Dordogne, France

Château de Hautefort

A slice of Loire-style classical grandeur transplanted into the Périgord, rebuilt in the 17th century on the site of the fortress of the troubadour Bertran de Born. Gutted by fire in August 1968 and heroically restored by Simone David-Weill, Baroness de Bastard. Its formal gardens are a 19th-century design by the Count de Choulot — not, as often repeated, by André Le Nôtre.

At a glance

Built: Rebuilt 1630–1670 on medieval foundations
Style: 17th-century classical (rare for Périgord)
Commissioned by: Marquis Jacques-François de Hautefort
Signature feature: French formal gardens and clipped topiary on a rock spur above the village
Gardens: Designed in the 19th century by the Count de Choulot
The fire: Destroyed by fire 30–31 August 1968; restored by the Baroness de Bastard
Deeper history: Site of the castle of troubadour Bertran de Born (12th century)
Visiting: Open to visitors (seasonal calendar)