About Château Sainte Cecile

Chateau Background

Château Sainte Cecile was initiated during an era of extraordinary success, enjoyed by the Gaillac wine industry in the latter part of the  nineteenth century. The land owner, Monsieur Auguste Baljalade and his family began construction and assembly of a group of  buildings mainly dedicated to wine-making assembled around a courtyard in front of which stands the classical Château with its main facade benefiting from a southerly aspect towards the park.

The initials of Auguste Baljalade can clearly be seen carved on oak crests which overlook  the saloon reception rooms to the Château. The Baljarde family also donated land adjacent to the park for the provision of a  new church of St. Cecile , which the Château overlooks to the west. Baljard’s son Jean-Joseph continued to expand the family business during the first half of the 20th century.

The domain was subsequently acquired by the Ordioni family of Toulouse they were able to make great use of their Italian lineage to source Piedmont labour for the wine-making activity; during their stewardship during the late 20th century further  improvement and alteration works took place, adding a front terrace in particular.

During the 21^st century the Château Sainte Cecile and park was acquired by the Avery Family, who adapted the property to make a grand family home and were responsible for the renovation and remodeling of the buildings and the construction of the rear terrace and swimming pool areas which continue to reflect the classical architectural style of the Château.

Chateau Architecture

Located on the edge of the hamlet of Sainte-Cecile Avès the Domain gains access from Chemin Toulze along a tree-lined avenue. The ensemble consists of the baroque Château, accompanied by vernacular wine-making barns [chais] stables and caretakers lodge arranged all around a U shaped courtyard accommodating two towering dove-cotes [pigoniers] and a large circular horse drinking trough.

The Château which is C section in plan consists of the  main body, which is dedicated to lofty reception rooms with fine plaster and joinery detailing in the classical style. It is bordered by two pavilions protruding to the front  of the main body. The structuring of the volumes and function is cleverly arranged to emphasize to dramatic effect the main facade overlooking the park and its clear that this was the architects intention.

Crowned by a broken semi-circular stone pediment over a terracotta balustraded balcony the facade is interspersed by five bays with openings covered with segmental arch. openings and lateral pilasters which feature  are treated according to the principle of alternating brick and stone and set duo-tone. A stone portico greets the visitor flanked by terracotta balustrade terraces. Panels are lime-rendered in a soft light-ochre tone.

To the rear elevation of Château Sainte Cecile, a more restrained treatment flourishes with openings lined by burnt-sienna coloured brickwork [brique-tolosain], this theme has been expanded by the current owners to form the neo-classical architectural theme for  the detailing of the expansive rear terrace and flanking walls to the swimming pool lower-terraces; by utilising terracotta balustrades pilasters pavings and cappings.

Facing the rear of the house and providing a dramatic backdrop to the swimming-pool is a recently constructed niche surmounted by a broken-pediment echoing the baroque theme of the front of the house, flanking walls continue the theme by forming a gentle masonry cascade. In the process of engrandisement of the rear, the vernacular wine-making buildings have now become divorced from the Château and its terraces and all that can be seen of them from the rear are the two pigoniers peeping above the flanking walls, wine-making is no longer their current activity and the chais are mainly used as storage and holiday accommodation but where possible reference to their former use and character have been retained.