In the lower Ariège
valley, in the Pyrenean foothills, the Château de Fiches stands in
its grounds of 50 hectares.
At the end of the 16th
century the estate was one of the seigneuries purchased by Jean de
Roubert, counsellor at the parlement of Toulouse.
In 1621, during the
religious wars, Fiches was sacked by Gabriel de Levis, a protestant
leader.
In the mid 18th
century Fiches became the property of the Fauré family, originally
from Pamiers, who still own it today.
A remarkable heritage :
Architecture
The buildings date from
various periods – from the late 14th or early 15th
century staircase to the 19th century library and kitchen.
In 2005 the roof, facade,
painted ceilings and staircase were registered in the Inventory of
Historical Monuments.
The Painting Ceilings
On the Beams of the main
reception room is depicted a richly coloured and highly populated
Bestiary of approximately 60m², dating from the end of the 16th
century. The number and diversity of animals represented make it
unique : big cats, monkeys, birds, fish, bear and elephant,
chimera, mermaids, inucorn … are linked by bouquets of flowers,
garlands of foliage and cartouches representing hunting scenes.
The beams of a second and
more modest reception room evoke a series of aquatic lanscapes, in
shades of blue and white, dating from the 18th century.
The restoration of certain
sections and the conservation of the whole are continuing in order to
preserve this fragile heritage, bearing witness to both the tastes
and wealth of the former owners of Fiches during the Renaissance and
the 17th century.
The library
It is a typical 17th
century « Gentleman's Library » consisting of a
collection of works of religion, phylosophy, history, literature and
the sciences, along with a few more ancient volumes dating from the
16th century.
The Great kitchen
Facilities for salting,
preserving and wine-making demonstrate the agricultural basis of this
estate and its way of life.
The Park
There are a number of
impressive ancient trees to be seen including Atlas Cedars, great
Oaks and Poplars.
Since 2005 the main
objective of the owners has been to open up this family home to the
public and share its rich legacy. In 2007 the « Association for
the Preservation and Discovery of the Patrimony of the château de
Fiches » was founded.
For both the proprietors
and the association it is important that :
-Fiches is helped to
regain its former splendour so as to be known and recognised
throughout Ariège – and beyond – without jeopardising either its
character or authenticity.
-A venue be created to
stimulate local culture and the development of tourism.
