Château de Latour
Bernard THOMAS
1 Rue du 24 Août
B-6761 Latour-Virton
Belgium
Tel : +32 63 57 83 52
Fax : +32 63 60 82 19
info@chateaudelatour.be
Vestiges prove that there was a fortification on a promontory, near a Roman
road in the 3rd century. Later, a medieval "farm castle" was built at this place.
In 1433, the castle was besieged and destroyed. The owner, the terrible Lord
Wainchelain (descendant of the Lords of Latour) married his daughter to Henri Bayer
de Boppard, chamberlain of Duke of Lorraine. It seems that the castle was rebuilt by
Henri Bayer de Boppard and stayed the property of this family until the end of 16th
century. Unfortunately, en 1657 the castle of Latour was besieged, once again, and
burned down by the French troops. The last heir, who was ruined, sold the Seigneury
of Latour to Maximilien Baillet, Receveur des Domaines in Virton, in 1662.
Later, the family Baillet was ennobled and in 1744, Austrian Empress Marie-
Thérèse converted the Seigneury de Latour into an earldom. Maximilien Antoine
Charles Baillet de Latour, the most famous of this family, was born in 1737. He was a
field marshal of the Austrian imperial army and the owner of a Belgian cavalry, well-
known as "Dragons de Latour". In 1794, his troops besieged the fortified place
Landrecies which was guarded by the French republican troops. These ones had to
capitulate and Maxim Baillet de Latour took 7000 prisoners. In reprisals, the
Commander of the revolutionary troops set fire to the castle of Latour in April 1794.
The castle had entirely been neglected for about 2 centuries. During this time,
the local inhabitants accelerated its deterioration by collecting building materials,
mainly dressed stones.
In 1978, Bernard Thomas's father bought the castle in order to restore it. It's
been a hard work; especially since the old walls had been raised using natural lime
and he had to use the same building materials. The progressive restoration led to the
restaurant opening in 1981 and the hotel, in 1982.
Maximilien Antoine
de Baillet Latour
buys the Castle in
1662 for an amount
of 600 Brabant florins
As compensation for the
Baillet's loyalty to the House
of Austria, Empress Marie-
Thérèse converts the
Seigneurie Latour into an
earldom in 1744.
1900
The Laval family on the
farmyard before 1914.
1962