THE ESTATE

The Bruguière is both an aristocratic summer residence and a farming dwelling. The construction of such a complex was carried out gradually, between the 15th century and the 19th century. It is the work of the Rodier family. In the beginning, Pierre Rodier, bishop of Carcassonne in 1300, called his nephews to Languedoc and had them settle in Carcassonne, Alais, and Anduze. It is the descendants of Anduze who built La Bruguière in the mid-15th century, near a water point as it should be. In the 18th century, Antoine Rodier, Lord of La Bruguière, enlarged the residence in height and width. Then his son, a wealthy ennobled heir, continued to transform this agricultural estate into a pleasure castle, creating French gardens. The lands of La Bruguière then extended over half of the plain, between the roads of Quissac and St Hippolyte du Fort. In 1858, Napoleon's civil code allowed Ernestine Rodier de la Bruguière to inherit the estate despite being a daughter. But by marrying, she abandoned her name. Her daughter Louise, without descendants, will be the last to inhabit this place. La Bruguière remained in the same family for 500 years.

This estate still echoes the memory of its past. Evidence of an underground passage, a basin collecting spring water, and a water circuit supplying the garden endows it with a timeless charm, hence why locals fondly refer to it as “the castle.”