The Laurens Castel in Agde

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Take a walk through the city centre of Agde to discover its rich heritage. At the confluence of the Hérault and the Canal du Midi, Agde, known as the « Black Pearl of Languedoc » is home to a unique jewel of southern s Art Nouveau: Château Laurens, listed as a Historical Monument in 1996, evokes tales from the Arabian Nights. Step inside Emmanuel Laurens’ home to discover his iconic and colourful universe dating back to the 1900s and enjoy the experience of « a journey through the arts ».

Belle-Isle : an ideal location

You enter Belle-Isle before entering the castle. The grounds’ winding paths lead to the lapping sound of a large landscaped pond, bedecked with water lilies and golden rushes as beautiful as a Monet painting.

Stroll along promenades lined with chestnut trees near the Hérault River and enjoy this peaceful site flooded with light in every season.

Far from urban life, not far from the railway, Château Laurens stands with its grand staircase and imposing black marble limestone columns.

The castle spreads over 700 m2 on four levels with roof terraces and an elliptical dome of 20 metres high. It’s amazing!

A magnificent centenary magnolia presides over this enchanting setting where you can discover the eclectic architecture of the castle, with its polychrome facade and Egyptian decorations.

Visites duo Agde et Château Laurens — ©Marc-Sauer

The castel : a home of dreams and passion

The wonderful palace of Emmanuel Laurens, born in 1873 in Agde, oozes with his love for travel and the various 20th-century artistic currents. Heir to an immense fortune at the age of 24, this medical student decided to travel the world, crossing many seas.

Indulge in the magic decor of this antique temple that resembles a Palladian villa and the atmosphere of its exotic journeys. Discover the Egyptian, Greco-Roman and Oriental influences brought back from the owner’s travels. An avid collector and art enthusiast, Emmanuel Laurens imbued his construction with a modern spirit mixing eastern and western aesthetic influences.

Façade Est Château Laurens Agde ©Studio Pierre Arnaud — ©Studio Pierre Arnaud

A palace with a luxurious decor

Behind the monumental front door, discover the entrance hall, adorned with ceiling woodwork and lit by small opalescent glass lamps in hammered copper. The grandeur of this vestibule and the flamboyant murals are dazzling.

Discover all the Neo-Greek, Orientalist and Art Nouveau influences that Emmanuel Laurens brought back from his travels in Egypt, China, India, Central Asia, and the Indian Ocean.

The reception rooms to the north include the smoking room and the Moorish living room. To the south, there are two large bedrooms, and to the east, the atrium, the grand staircase, the dining room and the music room with twelve vertical windows mounted for Louise Blot, his wife.

The atrium has a white onyx impluvium. The upper glass roof floods the room with light. The entire house is laid out around this point. It is the centrepiece of a spatial and decorative visit!

Discover the fascinating and unique world of Emmanuel Laurens in these reception rooms, with decorations ranging from Art Nouveau and naturalism to oriental sophistication, including an allegory of the Mediterranean.

Atrium Château Laurens Agde — ©David Maugendre

Emmanuel Laurens : a genius

Emmanuel Laurens’ forward-thinking eclecticism is expressed in the twenty rooms of the castle. Antique, oriental and Egyptian decors are mixed with innovative Art Nouveau style.

Every room is decorated with sophistication imbued with his personal taste and works by his friends and artists: Eugène Dufour, Léon Cauvy, Théophile Laumonnerie, Eugène Martial Simas, Giandomenico Facchina, Alexandre Charpentier, and others.

Continue the visit up the staircase leading to Emmanuel Laurens’ private quarters to discover how Art Nouveau bloomed. It abounds with delicate decorations including woodwork, copper, ceramics, mosaics, stained glass, metalwork and canopies. Keep your eyes peeled and contemplate the many details!