The Pompadour family and castle

Pompadour castle was founded in the 11th century, by the lords of Lastours. It was run by two lords until the 13th century, when the Hélie family, from the neighbouring castle of Ségur, imposed itself as the castle’s only master.
In the 1500s, the Hélies, who had given themselves the name of “Pompadour”, asserted themselves as one of the province’s most powerful families. They completely transformed the medieval castrum into a sophisticated castle, with ornaments announcing the first signs of the Renaissance style.
In 1614, the Pompadour family managed to obtain the title of « Marquis », but the lineage did not last beyond the late 17th century.
In 1745, King Louis XV purchased the domain and granted his mistress Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson the title of “Marquess of Pompadour”. She didn’t settle down here, because of the distance with the King’s court, but she kept her title when she sold the domain in 1761. The King recovered it in 1762 and founded a royal stud farm there.