Domaine de Cazalet

The 60 hectares of what was not yet the Cazalet estate were used as pasture for ruminants until the middle of the 19th century. The one who gave it its name is a Bordeaux lawyer François Cazalet, born in 1730. Only the ground floor of the original house and a few old trees would have been preserved from this time. In 1861, the land was still described as pasture in the cadastral documents.
It was only in 1882 that one of the mayors of Pessac had the castle built, where he produced an excellent Graves red wine. Between the two world wars, the land was used for horse racing.
In 1941, Charles Ragot acquired the park, the outbuildings and the castle which were requisitioned until 1944 by the occupier.
From 1955 to 1967, 80 employees worked on the estate, then known as Ragot-Cazalet, Charles Ragot being the owner at that time.
In 1983 the town of Pessac bought the property. Since then, the castle and the pink brick dovecote have been restored. The redeveloped park aims to give Pessac residents some fresh air.
The Cazalet castle, once renovated, became the annex of the Pessac town hall. The estate is a center of daily life in Pessac. The Rosière festivities are celebrated there (this Rosière festival began in 1876, to honor a deserving young girl from Pessac, it takes place every year). All weddings are also celebrated there.
Its paths make it a destination of choice for school and truancy outings, as well as the many festive meetings of Pessac associations.