Opme Castle

Château-fort d’Opme is one of the oldest châteaux in Auvergne. The château and gardens are listed on the Historic Monuments registry.

Built in the late 11th century by the Counts of Auvergne to control the col where the Roman path ran from Clermont to Puy, it is one of the oldest châteaus in Auvergne. Along with Château de Châteaugay, they are examples of defensive architecture. With a square layout, it is flanked by five towers, three of which remain today. A square keep, a system of battlements and merlons on machiolation, replaced the north-west tower in the 13th century.

The château had a number of different owners. Around 1230, it was exchanged with the Montrognon fortress (of which only one tower remains today). It then became the property of the lords of Montrognon. In 1381 it fell into the hands of the English, but was liberated in 1393. In 1613 it was purchased by the owner who gave it its current appearance: Antoine de Ribeyre, treasurer of France. A main entrance, an interior staircase and wide mullion windows were created to bring elegance to the fortress and two gardens were landscaped into terraces, one with a large circular pond and the other with a fountain.

The château and gardens were listed on the historic monuments registry in 1916 and 1969 respectively. The garden obtained “Jardin remarquable” status in 2004. Since 1989 the current owners have continued their restoration efforts.