Built on a rocky outcrop and enclosed by fortified walls, the commandery overlooks a few neighbouring houses and enjoys a 360° view of the surrounding rolling countryside. Sheltered from view, the property is also particularly quiet since the village is only accessible via a small road.
The adjacent buildings that compose the architectural complex are arranged in a coil shape around a grassy courtyard and the former chapel of the “Knights’ Manor”, which became a church in the 15th century.
Although it forms a harmonious whole, different buildings stand out due to the masonry of their façades, their roofs and other architectural elements specific to the successive periods in which the property was remodelled, such as the patios or the windows.
Once a Knights Templars monastery and then by turns a wine storehouse and a residence, the horseshoe-shaped building presents traces of its functions as a former fortified castle as demonstrated by the arrow slits, loopholes and scars resulting from the multiples modifications to the façades over the centuries. The walls, composed of an amalgam of unpointed massive rubble stone masonry and ashlar stone, are characteristic of medieval constructions.
With a surface area of 450 m², it has two storeys, including the attic space, and is topped with a gabled roof bordered by a triple Genoise corbel.
It was only recently that a tree-filled landscaped piece of land below the village was annexed to the property. Today, sheltered from view, it includes a swimming pool and pool house in need of a bit of refreshing.

The Dwelling Built in the 18th-century Remodelled Wings

With two storeys and built out of rubble stone and briquette masonry accentuated with ashlar stone quoins and window and door surrounds, the dwelling of approximately 330 m² is composed of two central buildings arranged in an L shape. The southwest wing, flanked by a square bartizan and a narrow patio, has many windows placed at regular intervals. Adjacent to the bell tower and designated a castle at the end of the 18th century, the second wing is bordered by a vast patio protected by balustrades, built on top of a high defensive wall. At the intersection of the two wings, a square keep edified in the 14th century built out of limestone rubble stone masonry, stands at half of its initial height.
Three entrances provide access to the building enclosure. The main entrance can be reached via a tall stone staircase accessible from the road. The two others, at ground level, are accessible via a covered gateway and a lean-to, which protects the church’s entrance.

The ground floor
From a double flight of stone steps, a heavy wooden door topped with a glazed arched fanlight opens onto an entrance hall and a door to the first patio shaded by wisteria. Behind the French doors dating from the 19th century, the vestibule displays a flagrant contrast with the building’s exterior appearance. The entrance hall, which has a remarkable double quarter turn wooden staircase with a half-floor landing, leads to the living and reception rooms. On the right, a spacious fitted kitchen has a range cooker and a marble countertop and is decorated with an imposing fireplace with wooden mantel. A glass door opens onto an interior garden, while another communicates with an alcove converted into a cloakroom, as well as with the outbuilding that houses a laundry room and a workshop, also with exterior access. A wide modern staircase provides access to the first garage. Back in the vestibule, glass doors lead to the dining room, which faces the panoramic patio, revealing an exceptional view of the surrounding countryside. This room is characterised by a monumental stone fireplace with arched lintel, an alcove with a vaulted ceiling, exposed stone walls, a ceiling with whitewashed exposed beams and a floor in terracotta tiles. In the living room, a black marble fireplace is topped with a trumeau mirror decorated with elegant floral moulding. Small-pane windows and woodwork compose the interior décor, which is suffused with 18th-century conventions. The tower’s stone walls, which are nearly 1.5 metres thick, house a library decorated in the pastel blue of Lectoure.
The upstairs
After an initial flight of stairs integrated into the curvature of a wall, a landing leads to a bathroom in the turret, as if it was suspended in the sky. A suite in pale tones is located behind a second door on the half-floor landing. Like a discreet apartment, it is composed of a living room with hardwood floors and decorated with a stucco fireplace with a trumeau mirror and an alcove. A bedroom is hidden behind a secret door created in a cupboard. At the end of a long hallway, the floor of which is covered in original wide hardwood, a window draws the eye and gives the feeling of being perched up high in an eagle’s nest. A second bedroom, across from a shower room, faces south. Another main bedroom with meticulous décor is located at the end of the landing. Comfortable in size, it has a wide view of the horizon. The terracotta tiles on the floor, the exposed stone walls and the claw-foot bathtub contrast with the glass wall of the vast walk-in shower. The ensemble thus creates a successful alliance between the modern and the ancient. The fourth and last bedroom, located in the medieval tower, was designed in a theatrical manner, thanks to its architectural singularity: an interior glass roof provides views of a remarkable ancient vault, which gives the room an undeniably unique ambiance. From this level, a narrow and discreet staircase makes it possible to access the attic space and the rooftop terrace of the former keep.

The Commandery

A fortified castle, the headquarters of a Knights Templar Commandery, first affiliated with Nomdieu – a village located 40 kilometres away where the Commandery of the Knights Hospitaller of Saint John of Jerusalem was founded in 1152 – and then the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the current constructions were erected around the fortress in order to form the village in the 15th century. At that time, the Saint Peter chapel, abutting the castle’s northeastern side became a parish church. As of 1254, the castle was, in turns, the property of many illustrious lords, including, Aimard du Bouzet in 1254, the viscounts of Lomagne, the counts of Armagnac and even the King of France Philippe le Bel. Saved from the Revolution by Jean-Louis Laclaverie, its owner until 1847 was Théodore Belloc de Labrousse, mayor of Lachapelle who initiated major works in the village.

The ground floor
Located to the north, it communicates with the garage of the adjacent building to the southwest via high vaults. A dirt ground covers the entire floor until the last room, which is used as a garage. A double door opens onto a street in the upper part of the village, giving the building an independent entrance.
The upstairs
Accessible via a few stone steps, the beginning of which are located in the courtyard, this level has terracotta floors and an ancient fireplace in the centre of the room. The building does not currently have water or electricity and requires interior renovations throughout. Following on from the main room is one that houses the vestiges of a dovecote.
The attic
With a roof ridge height of 4 metres, this level has hardwood floors and extends along the building’s entire length under a remarkable wooden framework.

The Outbuildings

The workshop
With distinct exposed beams and a consequential roof ridge height, as well as exposed stone walls that are not currently insulated, the workshop could easily be used to expand the main dwelling. An enclosed and insulated space houses the dwelling’s furnace.
A perfectly functional laundry room is accessible from the coatroom that abuts the kitchen. It has direct access to the garage located below via a quarter turn staircase, as well as the garden, via the workshop.
The stable
Located on the street level, with a floor surface area of 80 m², it contains two levels under a sloping roof built against the rock and communicates with the upstairs level of the second garage on the property located in the building’s extension. This edifice, with notable architectural elements like the ashlar stone arch that frames the front door and burnished ochre façades, will require restoration work depending on its future use.
The garage
Adjacent to the ramparts, the two-storey building stands on the corner of the street that surrounds the former castle. New buttresses were built behind it in order to reinforce the defensive wall on which the castle’s patio rests. With a concrete slab floor and accessible via tall wooden doors topped with lintels, the 70-m² garage has a roof that was completely redone 15 years ago and a recent and insulated intermediate floor.