Castle of Woolsack

The Château of Woolsack is the name of a hunting lodge builds in 1911 with Mimizan on the edges of the Lake Aureilhan by Hughes Richard Arthur Grosvenor (1879-1953), IIe duke of Westminster.

Presentation

This Lord, one of the richest men of Great Britain, remains regularly in his property of style victorien between the years 1910-1940, thus escaping for some time from the official constraints. He gains his property in the boat, organizes huntings and receptions.

History

In recognition of the courage of which it was proof during the Guerre of Boers, the duke lives himself to offer a residence. Randomly of a shooting party with Mr Bacon in 1910, it chooses the site of the Lake Aureilhan. The architect Detmar Blow began construction in 1911.

It was an significant event for the area. Many inhabitants of the city indeed worked with the service of the duke. Ten bungalows to the English mode were built around the principal house. All out of white and black enamelled wood, they accommodate the stablemen, côtoyant the stables. This district was also occupied by the personnel charged to organize the shooting parties, by the intendant woman, it controlling, the dog handlers, the muleteer, the driver and the friends.

Distinguished guests

Among the guests, Coco Chanel was, as of 1924 and during nearly ten years, a close friend and privileged visitor of the castle. She came sometimes accompanied by her small hands, offering a few days of holidays to them. The duke also accepted Charles Chaplin, Salvador Dali, Suzanne Lenglen like Georges Carpentier. Winston Churchill, close friend of the duke since the war of Boers made frequent visits with Woolsack, only or in family.

Leisures

The area is very giboyeuse. Wild boar S and Chevreuil S allowed beautiful parts of Hunt, raison d'être of the house. Wood pigeon S, Thrush S, Ortolan bunting S, Bécasse S was also very required by the duke.

At that time, the only possible access to go to the castle is to cross the lake on the basis of Aureilhan. For this purpose, the duke made build a pier, the crossing being done thanks to a motorboat.

After the duke

The troops Nazis occupied Mimizan the June 28th 1940. The castle was then occupied by the officers. To the Release, the residence was returned to its owner but burned mainly in the night of the February 23rd 1947. During a few years still, the duke came to drive out, occupying one of the arranged bungalows. Its death, in July 1953, put an end to the records of the place. The Groupe Gascogne repurchased the property and made it restore. Woolsack always belongs to the group, which uses it for receptions and seminars.

Sources

Mimizan, pearl of the coast of money , Herve Foglia

See too

Woolsack
Tourism in the Moors
List of the French castles by department

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