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Castle à Montgey dans le Tarn

Tarn

Castle

    11 Chemin du Château
    81470 Montgey
Château
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Crédit photo : Pinpin - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Âge du Fer
Antiquité
Haut Moyen Âge
Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
100 av. J.-C.
0
1200
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
Ier siècle av. J.-C.
Roman origins
avril 1211
Battle of Montgey
1218
Resumed by the Roqueforts
1209–1240
Seat of Jourdain de Roquefort
XIIe siècle
Construction of walls
1639
Property of Charles de Franc
XVe–XVIe siècles
Major renovations
1723 (vers)
Construction of communes
XIXe siècle
Adding the crenelated dungeon
13 mars 1975
Registration Historic Monument
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Facades and roofs (Case A 160): inscription by order of 13 March 1975

Key figures

Jourdain de Roquefort - Lord of Montgey (1209–1240) Victory against crusaders in 1211
Simon de Montfort - Cross Chief Destroyed the village in 1211
Raymond-Roger de Foix - Count of Foix Allied at Battle of 1211
Marquesa de Roquefort - Châtelaine (one hundred years' war) Push the English with hives
Charles de Franc - Lord of Cahuzac (XVIIe) Bodyguard of Richelieu
Alexandre de Franc - Marquis de Montgey Renovations thanks to pastel
Pierre et Sophie Bouyssou - Owners since 1971 Restoration of the castle

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.

External links