he château played a key part during the Hundred Years War and France’s bitter Wars of Religion (1562-1598). It was here, in 1575, that two Huguenot (Protestant) captains, Jaure and La Palanque, shared out rich booty seized from Périgueux’s Roman Catholics - including a silver reliquary containing relics of Saint Front, the first Bishop of Périgueux.
In the 17th century, the château belonged to Jean de Belrieu, royal bailiff of the town of Bergerac.
A century later, it came through marriage into the hands of the d’Augeards, a family of parliamentarians. Jean-Charles d’Augeard de Virazeil, President of the High Court at Bordeaux, was the last Lord of Tiregand.
Count César-Alexandre de La Panouse bought the property in 1826 and carried out improvements. His son gave the house its present appearance around 1850. Carefully maintained by his descendants, the listed château now belongs to the heirs of the Countess François de Saint-Exupéry.
Today, the Château de Tiregand is an estate of 460 hectares (1,150 acres), including land, vines, woods and a riding club. This beautiful Pécharmant vineyard is currently managed by François-Xavier de Saint-Exupéry.
