Château de Cipières

The Château de Lacypières is located in Périgord Noir, in Saint-Crépin, within the territory of the commune of Saint-Crépin-et-Carlucet, near the Saint-Crépin church. It can be visited from Easter to All Saints' Day, although it is a private inhabited castle.

The castle is located near terraces that may have provided rock shelter in the Paleolithic era. In the Middle Ages, a first fortified construction was erected. A knight from Ferrières occupied the Lacypierre site, which provided advanced protection for Sarlat. The Ferrières family were vassal knights of the Barons of Salignac. Guilhem de Ferrières is credited with building the stronghold before the end of the Hundred Years' War. The castle was ceded at the end of the 16th century to the Bénié de Lacypierre family, originally from Salignac and established in Sarlat, where they held positions in the royal magistracy since the 16th century and as officers in the king's armies. The edifice was rebuilt after the damage suffered during the Hundred Years' War according to a plan of a rectangular rural manor with a polygonal stair tower. One of the corners is reinforced by a square tower that looks more like a dovecote than a defensive tower and served as a justice tower. The castle, covered with lauze tiles, was enlarged in the 17th century. It was adorned with a sundial and mullioned windows were built. In 1605, the village mason rebuilt a fireplace there. In 1789, the owner was Guillaume Bénié. He was a cavalry captain and grenadier of the bodyguards in the Noailles company.