Raymond Laplagne-Barris (1786-1857)

The family of Lacave was an ancient family from Montesquiou in the Gers in southwest France, with a family seat at the Château de La Plagne.  Raymond Jean François Lacave La Plagne was the eldest son of Barthélémy Lacave La Plagne and Jeanne Marie Barris.  In 1813 he married Angélique Gabrielle Boyer and they had 10 children.

Raymond was one of the leading judges in France in the first half of the 19th century, becoming president of the Cour de Cassation (the court of final appeal in France) and a confidant of King Louis Philippe.  The King entrusted him with the administration of the property of his young son, the Duc d’Aumale, who had come into a very substantial inheritance at the age of 8.  Louis Philippe also named Raymond as one of the executors of his will.  

Raymond’s family had close connections with the Barris family, also from the Gers, and his own mother was a Barris.  Her brother, Pierre Jean Paul Barris (1759-1824), was another eminent lawyer; he never married and so made his nephew, Raymond, his heir.  In consequence Raymond changed his name to Lacave Laplagne Barris by royal warrant in 1825.  However he was usually known as Laplagne Barris.  He was ennobled in 1837.

Raymond’s son, Paul Laplagne Barris, also embarked on a legal career and, like his father, was very successful, becoming an imperial procurator and serving as an appeal court judge.  In 1851 he married Camille Zangiacomi whose grandfather, Joseph Zangiacomi, had previously been president of the Cour de Cassation and a close associate of Raymond.  Both Raymond and Joseph were great collectors of rare books.  After the marriage of Paul and Camille, their two collections were united at the Château of La Plagne, where they substantially remained until 2013.