History of Sibra
Lagarde
The village of Lagarde today seems sleeping in the shades of its historically famous castle. It counts some two hundred residents who have their own lady mayor, post-office, but no further facilities.
The "Château de Lagarde" once was the fierce fortified castle of count Lévis de Mirepoix who was donated it from Simon de Montfort for his contribution in the crusade against the "Albigeois", euphemism for the slaughter of the Cathar heretics.
The former fortress is a remarkable monument, worth paying a visit and its construction dates from the 11th and 12th century. Today, the building, also called ‘le Petit Versailles’ and rated 30th most important castle in France is mainly in distress and in great need of funds for further recovery
The family of count de Lévis lived here until the 17th century. Then they moved to the very elegant castle of Léran nearby. The heirs of the count succeeded in keeping their title. The former count was a member of ‘the Académie Française’ and the actual one is an admiral in the French Marine.
Sibra
This is the name of the domain and the hamlet situated at about a mile’s distance from the chateau and the centre of Lagarde.
The core of a domain has always been the farm. That is where everything started from. It grew bigger, needed more housing, stables, barns, coach houses and finally the castle of Sibra was built by the –then prosperous- owners.
This is how it went with the castle-farm of Sibra as well. The most ancient parts of this monumental farm date from the 16th century whereas the castle was built in the late 18th. The quiet harmony of the buildings naturally evokes the past as if at any time a couple of oxen may appear from around the corner. These buildings, preserved from an uncertain past, today await nothing in fact, but demolition. The only way to save them from decay was to transform them into a unique living complex and create a home for a community of owners, conserving, restoring history.
This is what happened at Sibra and here is where you will be our guest.
Welcome to Mi-René!
