HISTORY
The historical origins
The Losse family came from Flanders in the 11th century and subsequently built a stronghold on the Vézère right bank. From that time they belonged to the feudal hierarchy. Later on, their allegiance went to the King of France.
The Hall was built in 1576 inside the medieval fortress by Jean II, Marquess of Losse (1504-1580)
Jean II de Losse
A great soldier, his loyalty to the Crown was the source of his military and social good fortune. He was page of François I, served all the sons of Catherine de Medicis and was tutor of Henri IV.
As a courtier he saw the prevalent Renaissance criteria used in contemporary buildings in Paris and elsewhere. At the end of his career he returned to Périgord as General governor of Limousin and Guyenne. The changes he then made to his ancestral home were in accordance with the taste of the times, while retaining a countrylike sobriety.
Civil and military
architecture
Throughout his military career he had great experience in defending royal places against Charles V imperial troops. This was put to use to adapt the defensive apparel of Losse since the religious wars still raged and civil unrest was endemic.
This can be seen from the various openings for cannons and culverins and the insertion of a turret on the corner of the South-west walls.
Memorial stones
In many places the visitor will notice ‘’mottos’’ incorporated in the construction and engraved in the stone.
As a contemporary of Montaigne, Jean II de Losse also wished to leave catchwords that echoed the events of his life. This great soldier and courtier close to Queen Marguerite de Valois was also an erudite who appreciated a literary environment. He was known by contemporary writers such as Pierre de Laval-Montmorency who dedicated his work to Losse.
On the Gatehouse the visitor will read : "Man does as he may, Fortune (fate) as she wills".
The princess of Annam
Princess Nhu May of Annam was a significant figure for the castle. She was the daughter of Emperor Hàm Nghi of Annam, who ruled from 1884 to 1885 over the province of Annam in present-day Vietnam. She enrolled in preparatory classes at Lycée Henri IV in Paris before joining the National Institute of Agronomy, where she was the only woman of her class and graduated at the top in 1927.
She became the owner of the castle in 1930 to transform it into an agricultural estate. She raised Limousin cattle and cultivated wheat, personally driving her tractor. Recognized for her commitments and for experimenting with new types of crops and mechanization tools in the Périgord region, she was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour and an Officer of the Order of Agricultural Merit.
Starting in the 1940s, she served as a municipal councilor for the village of Thonac. Known for her generosity and humanity, she was a vital source of support for the local population during the war. It is said that a weapons cache for the resistance was hidden in the park.
It is said that a cache of weapons for the resistance was hidden in the park. Without an heir, Princess Nhu May bequeathed the castle to her nephew on her retirement.
She moved into a small house next to the château, where she lived until the end of her life in 1999, and was buried in the Thonac cemetery alongside her parents and brother.
Today, the house houses a small exhibition on the life of the Princess in Losse, and visitors are invited to enjoy its garden, which has been converted into a Salon de thé / Restaurant, affectionately named: Le Jardin de la Princesse.
From the end of the 20th century to today...
After decades of farming under the aegis of the Princesse d'Annam, the château fell into the greedy hands of a property dealer who failed to maintain it. The place fell into disrepair and went through a terribly dark period for over ten years. Not only the buildings but also the land deteriorated rapidly.
1976, a Franco-Belgian family with a passion for historical heritage, particularly the Renaissance, fell in love with it and decided to save it. Thus began a new era for Losse. The aim was to restore it to its former splendor and exceptional artistic attributes. But not only that. Given the importance of the Monument Classé in the history of artistic heritage, and the essential role played by its builder, the Marquis Jean de Losse, in the history of France, the new owners' aim from the outset of the restoration project was to share its beauty and history with the public. They were pioneers in this field, as their project never involved selfishly retaining exclusive enjoyment of the property at a time when there were no tourist routes and little media coverage of architectural heritage.
And so began an immense adventure. A gigantic restoration project began in close collaboration with the Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles, the recommendations of the Commission Supérieure des Monuments Historiques, and the work and vigilance of the Architecte en Chef des Monuments Historiques, Bernard Fonquernie.
Over a period of 50 years, with the help of the finest Monuments Historiques-accredited craftsmen, all the roof timbers were restored to their original condition on more than three-quarters of the buildings, the slate and tile roofs were replaced or restored, the agricultural lean-tos were removed, and the walls were raised, stripped and plastered, arches, terraces and walls were consolidated, window openings were rehabilitated, missing stones were trimmed, interior levels and volumes were restored, splendid French ceilings were replaced, limewash walls were restored, parquet floors were completed and decor was restored according to a 1602 inventory.
All this has been achieved over the last five decades, often at the mercy of the weather. To cite just two examples, a terrible storm in 1989 destroyed the entire roof of the Grand Logis and the interior structures of the Vieux Logis, which had been weakened by successive renovations and collapsed from attic to cellar. Thus, on the basis of archives and in full respect of the site and its M.H. classification, Losse experienced its second renaissance, from the first stone of the 12th century to the magnificence of the 16th-century façade ornaments.
The recreation of the gardens
This elegant architecture deserving a setting, Jacqueline van der Schueren undertook an in-depth study of gardens in the spirit of those found in Renaissance France, Italy and England. Their creation was carried out gradually from 1990, first developing within the ramparts and then extending beyond the moats.
Today, Losse is loved and cherished by the descendants of its owners, who belong to families scattered across Europe. Thanks to the dedication and high standards of a team working in the château and its gardens, the spirit and harmony of the place endure, offering their full beauty to visitors who are essential to its preservation.
