A falconer with a milky eagle owl during a bird of prey demonstration at the Château Les Milandes in the commune of Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, Dordogne, France
Some background information:
Verreaux's eagle-owl also commonly known as the milky eagle owl or giant eagle owl, is a member of the family Strigidae. This species is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. it is the largest African owl, measuring up to 66 cm (26 inch) in total length. This eagle-owl is a resident primarily of dry, wooded savanna. Verreaux's eagle-owl is mainly grey in color and distinguishable from other large owls by its bright pink eyelids, a feature shared with no other owl species in the world.
The milky eagle owl has a wingspan of up to 164 cm (5 feet 5 inch). It is a very powerful owl species and also the fourth-heaviest living owl. It is considered an avian apex predator, meaning that it is at or near the top of the food chain and healthy adults normally have no natural predators. The milky eagle owl hunts predominantly in early evening. However, they have also been observed to swoop on prey during daylight. The favourite prey of these owls are hedgehogs, but they also prey on black-headed herons, water birds, bats, bushbabies, meerkats, snakes, frogs and rodents like mole-rats or ground squirrels.
The Château Les Milandes is a late medieval castle located in the commune of Castelnaud-la-Chapelle in the French department of Dordogne. It is situated in the midst of terraced gardens on the left bank of the Dordogne river, about 15 km (9.3 miles) to the southwest of the town of Sarlat-la-Canéda.
The castle was built in 1489 by François de Caumont, Count of Castelnaud, at the initiative of his wife Claude de Cardaillac. She convinced her husband to erect a more romantic and less unwelcoming family residence than his two fortresses of Castelnaud and Berbiguières, which he owned too. Right between those fortresses, the new family home was erected. Until 1535, the castle remained the main residence of the family de Caumont.
The Lords of Caumont were strong critics of the Catholic religion, especially François’ son Charles and grandson Geoffrey. Hence, the whole family converted to Protestantism. Geoffrey de Caumant married Marguerite de Lustrac, the Marquise de Fronsac, and both resided in the Château Les Milandes.
Another iconic character who lived in the Château Les Milandes during the 16th century was Jacques Nompar de Caumont, the neephew of Geoffrey. He accompanied his parents to the wedding of Henri de Navarre and Marguerite de Valois, the sister of Charles IX. The following night, 24 August 1572, came the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre; Jacques miraculously escaped the death of his family following their conversion to Protestantism.
He was brought to the Château Les Milandes by his uncle Geoffrey and his aunt Marguerite de Lustrac, but in 1578, the Catholics imprisoned Geoffrey and took over the castle. Thereafter, Henri de Navarre sent one of his servants to protect Jacques Nompar. The latter maintained the chateau until his death in 1652 at the grand age of 93. Subsequently, his descendents also inhabited the castle but left it up to the farmers to work the land and maintain the building.
The French Revolution sounded the death knell for the splendour of the family de Caumont, and the Château Les Lilandes was abandoned. It was sold in the 19th century but sadly not maintained, which resulted in it being abandoned yet again by the new owners who had never shown any interest in the building. In 1850, two families shared the residence and changed the distribution of its rooms. However, in 1900, Charles Augustus Claverie, a French industrialist based in the Sarlat region, bought the chateau, which changed its fate for the better again.
The new owner restored the castle and added an entire east wing to which he attached a tower built on the ruins of the old watchtower. The building gained wew towers, new accommodation, romantic balconies and also an amazing collection of sculptures, notably gargoyles and fantasy figures. Charles Augustus Claverie also built a farm and a winery, which still overlooks the valley to the north. In 1908, he commissioned landscape architect Jules Vacherot, the chief gardener of Paris. The idea was to create a garden in the French style extending from the castle, surrounded by an English-style landscaped park. And the plan was also put into action.
In 1938, the castle was first rented by the famous American-born dancer, singer and actress Josephine Baker, before she even purchased the Château Les Milandes in 1947. 1938 was also the year, in which Josephine adopted the French nationality of her husband Jean Lion. However, this marriage didn’t last long. During World War II, Josephine Baker volunteered as a Red Cross nurse at the Gare du Nord in Paris, raised money for de Gaulle's Free France and secretly worked as a courier for the Resistance and the French intelligence service. In 1961 that she was awarded the Legion of Honour by Général Valin at the Château de Milandes.
As from 1955, Josephine adopted children of different nationalities and religions, together with her second husband Jo Bouillon, a well-known orchestra conductor. Finally she had twelve children and called her family "the Rainbow Tribe". After living happily together at the Château de Milandes for several years, it became apparent that Josephine was useless at managing a business. Josephine’s husband left her debt-crippled, but she was still determined to continue her "Global Village".
In 1964, the chateau was put up for auction. It had been rescued from bankruptcy proceedings by the intervention of Brigitte Bardot, who launched an appeal to the people of France. But despite all efforts, the situation even worsened. In 1968 the chateau was again put into administration to be sold to the highest bidder. Josephine was on tour when she learned that the new owner had put the property up for investment. So she decided to lay siege to the Château Les Milandes and barricaded herself in the kitchen. Unfortunately, the new owner’s henchmen had no scruples and booted her out of the property. Weakened and in shock, she was taken to a hospital.
At the age of 62 Josephine settled in Roque Brune on the Côte d’Azur with the help of Princess Grace of Monaco. To pay off her debts, Josephine went back on stage. The Red Cross Ball organized for the Principality of Monaco allowed Josephine Baker to regain her status as a star. The show was put on at the Bobino Theatre in Paris, but the triumph did not last, because Josephine was too exhausted. After a few performances, she was found unresponsive in her apartment in Paris and on 12th April 1975 she died from a cerebral hemorrhage. In 2021, Josephine Baker was posthumously admitted to the Pantheon, the French hall of fame in Paris, where famous French personalities are buried and honoured. And it was president Emmanuel Macron hinself, who held the eulogy.
Today, the Château Les Milandes houses an extensive collection of exhibits from Josephine Baker's life, ranging from furniture, costumes and famous stage performances to records of her military career. It can be visited and is one of the largest tourist attractions in the Périgord region. In the gardens there is also a compound for birds of prey. Bird of prey demonstrations are held several times a day and their visit is included in the chateau‘s entrance fee.
