Château de Castelnau-Bretenoux is a large medieval fortress perched on a rocky spur above the Dordogne valley in the Lot department (commune of Prudhomat). Its distinctive red sandstone walls and triangular layout make it one of the most imposing fortified sites of the Quercy region.
The castle’s origins date to the 11th–12th centuries under the Castelnau barons; Hugues de Castelnau is credited with early foundations and the site developed through the Middle Ages as the family rose in regional power. During the Hundred Years’ War and later conflicts, the fortress was progressively reinforced: 13th- and 14th-century works include the keep, gatehouse, and additional curtain walls; by the 15th century the site was adapted for artillery and further enlarged through the 16th and 17th centuries. After decline and damage (including revolutionary-era losses and a major 19th-century fire), the castle was restored in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by the singer and collector Jean Mouliérat, who later donated it to the French State; it is now managed as a historic monument and open to the public.
