Château de Cayx
Encyclopedia
The Cayx Palace is a residence of the Danish Royal Family
located in the wine district of Cahors
in southern France
.
In medieval times the castle formed part of the defences of the town of Luzech
due to its dominance of the Lot River
.
In the 15th century the chateau belonged to the Couderc family, who were notaries in Luzech, and in the 16th century the Courtois family held the lordship. With his marriage to Hélène de Courtois in 1640, Gerard Lefranc became lord of the domain. He was the first hereditary president of the Cours des Aides in nearby Cahors. His grandson, Jacques Lefrance, was president when the court was moved to Montauban in 1709, when he bought a property at Pompignan. Jacques' eldest son, the noted French poet Jean-Jacques Lefranc, Marquis de Pompignan
spent the first half of his life at Cayx and received some of the inspiration for his garden at the Chateau de Pompignan
from the siting and views (though not the architecture, by then outmoded) of Cayx. Jacques' second son, Jean-Georges, bishop of Vienne and also an Enlightenment figure was raised there as well.
The sale of Cayx may have funded some of the building works at Pompignan, which itself was sold by Jean-Jacques' grandson in 1833.
The château was first fortified during the fourteenth century. Since then it has been rebuilt and renovated several times. The Lefrancs built the extensive wine cellars under the château.
The phyloxera infestation devastated the vineyards during the late nineteenth century, and the owners emigrated to Indo-China. They did not return to Europe until 1955. In 1965 the family's heir, Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat
, married Princess Margrethe
, then heiress presumptive
to the Danish throne, becoming Prince Consort of Denmark after she succeeded to Denmark
's throne.
The royal couple purchased the château and the estate in 1974. Since then they have renovated it extensively. According to the official website of the Danish monarchy, the residence has become a "relaxed setting for reunions of the entire Danish Royal Family and their French relatives".
The residence is not open to the public. A guided tour of the gardens is available during the summer. The château still produces wine.
Danish Royal Family
The Danish Royal Family includes the Queen of Denmark and her family. All members except the Queen hold the title of Prince/Princess of Denmark with the style of His/Her Royal Highness or His/Her Highness. The Queen is styled Her Majesty. The Queen and her siblings belong to the House of...
located in the wine district of Cahors
Cahors
Cahors is the capital of the Lot department in south-western France.Its site is dramatic being contained on three sides within an udder shaped twist in the river Lot known as a 'presqu'île' or peninsula...
in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In medieval times the castle formed part of the defences of the town of Luzech
Luzech
Luzech is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France.It is situated on the Lot River; a dam, the Barrage de Luzech was constructed in the late 1940s....
due to its dominance of the Lot River
Lot River
The Lot, , originally the Olt , is a river in France, right tributary of the Garonne. It rises in the Cévennes, flowing west through Quercy, where it flows into the Garonne near Aiguillon, a total distance of...
.
In the 15th century the chateau belonged to the Couderc family, who were notaries in Luzech, and in the 16th century the Courtois family held the lordship. With his marriage to Hélène de Courtois in 1640, Gerard Lefranc became lord of the domain. He was the first hereditary president of the Cours des Aides in nearby Cahors. His grandson, Jacques Lefrance, was president when the court was moved to Montauban in 1709, when he bought a property at Pompignan. Jacques' eldest son, the noted French poet Jean-Jacques Lefranc, Marquis de Pompignan
Jean-Jacques Lefranc, marquis de Pompignan
Jean-Jacques Lefranc , Marquis de Pompignan was a French man of letters and erudition, who published a considerable output of theatrical work, poems, literary criticism, and polemics; treatises on archeology, nature, travel and many other subjects; and a wide selection of highly-regarded...
spent the first half of his life at Cayx and received some of the inspiration for his garden at the Chateau de Pompignan
Château de Pompignan
The Chateau de Pompignan is a mid-18th century chateau standing on a terrace above the village of Pompignan, Tarn-et-Garonne, which lies on the old Paris road , about 25 km north-west of Toulouse, France....
from the siting and views (though not the architecture, by then outmoded) of Cayx. Jacques' second son, Jean-Georges, bishop of Vienne and also an Enlightenment figure was raised there as well.
The sale of Cayx may have funded some of the building works at Pompignan, which itself was sold by Jean-Jacques' grandson in 1833.
The château was first fortified during the fourteenth century. Since then it has been rebuilt and renovated several times. The Lefrancs built the extensive wine cellars under the château.
The phyloxera infestation devastated the vineyards during the late nineteenth century, and the owners emigrated to Indo-China. They did not return to Europe until 1955. In 1965 the family's heir, Henri Marie Jean André de Laborde de Monpezat
Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark
Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark , is the husband of the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II.-Early life:Henrik was born in Talence, Gironde, France...
, married Princess Margrethe
Margrethe II of Denmark
Margrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:...
, then heiress presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to the Danish throne, becoming Prince Consort of Denmark after she succeeded to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
's throne.
The royal couple purchased the château and the estate in 1974. Since then they have renovated it extensively. According to the official website of the Danish monarchy, the residence has become a "relaxed setting for reunions of the entire Danish Royal Family and their French relatives".
The residence is not open to the public. A guided tour of the gardens is available during the summer. The château still produces wine.