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Origin and history

The castle of Montgey, located in the Tarn in Occitanie, is a castle whose origins date back to a Roman oppidum occupied from the first century BC. A Roman carved head and remains of pottery attest to this ancient occupation. The site, probably dedicated to Jupiter (Mons Jovis), was crossed by a Roman route linking Toulouse to the oppidum of Berniquaut. The foundations of the present castle are partly based on Roman structures, including a possible fanum (temple).

In the Middle Ages, the castle became a strategic fief of the Roquefort family. At the beginning of the 13th century, it was at the heart of the Albigois Crusade: in 1211, Jourdain de Roquefort, lord of the place, won a victory against 5,000 German crusades at the Battle of Montgey. Simon de Montfort, crusader chief, then destroyed the village and seized the castle. Roquefort's family, linked to Catharism (two perfect members), recovered the castle after the death of Montfort in 1218. Jordan's brother-in-law, Raymond de Pereille, lord of Montsegur, feeds legends on a possible Cathar treasure hidden in Montgey.

The west and north walls, thick over three meters, date from the 12th century and incorporate Roman foundations. A sealed breach would testify to the assault of the crusaders. In the 15th century, the castle was redesigned: four towers (including a heptagonal) were added, and a convex south façade was designed to withstand cannons. The Italian gallery, the terraces and the Renaissance fireplace (inspired by the school of Fontainebleau) date back to the 16th-17th centuries. The castle, registered with the Historical Monuments in 1975, also preserves remains of ditches and a second enclosure.

The Hundred Years' War saw a local anecdote: the chestnut Marquesa de Roquefort, alone with a few soldiers, would have repelled the English by throwing bee hives (honey hives) on them, valuing in the village the nickname Montgey la Mouche. In the 17th century, Charles de Franc, Richelieu's bodyguard (mentioned in Les Trois Musquetaires), owned the castle. His son, Alexander, Marquis de Montgey, rearranged the place thanks to the fortune of pastel, before the nobiliary symbols were destroyed at the Revolution.

In the 19th century, a crenelated dungeon was added, serving as a geodetic landmark at 350 m above sea level. The castle, sold in 1971 to the Bouyssou family, is restored to its 16th century appearance. It sometimes opens its doors on Heritage Days. Its exceptional panorama embraces the Pyrenees and the Black Mountain, making it one of the most beautiful views of Languedoc.

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