Four cardinal virtues

Destroyed by fire in 1968, the two chimneys were rebuilt identically by the Compagnons du Devoir in 1977. Several hundred hours of work were required. The four figures at the top of the chimneys represent allegories of the four cardinal virtues: on one side, Justice (missing its scales) and Prudence (with a snake), on the other, Strength (with its club) and Temperance (holding jugs of water and wine).

Anne of Austria

The two paintings inlaid in the fireplaces have a very special significance: one depicts Anne of Austria (wife of Louis XIII and mother of Louis XIV) on horseback and the other Anne of Austria in triumph on her chariot. These are replicas of two paintings by Claude Déruet, the great painter of the reign of Louis XIII. The originals of these two paintings are much smaller and are currently in an American collection. We thank their owner for letting us use them as inspiration. They are perfect for Hautefort, as Marie de Hautefort was a great friend of Anne of Austria!

The Hautefort coat of arms

When you look at the stained glass windows in this room, you will discover the coats of arms chosen by the families that have successively owned the château. You can see the greyhound of the de Born family (10th century), the forces of the Hautefort (from the 14th century), the anchored cross of the Damas family (19th century) and the eagle with the fleur-de-lys of the de Bastard family (20th century).

Feature fireplaces

The massive nature of the two fireplaces confirms the purpose of this room: to dazzle the Marquis's guests to the point of sometimes forgetting certain elementary rules... Two open fireplaces facing each other in the same room cannot function at the same time without running the risk of smoking out the entire space. So priority was clearly given to the majestic aesthetics of the room rather than its comfort in winter.