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Origin and history

Montlaur Castle, located in Montaud in the Hérault, is one of the oldest castles in Lower Languedoc, mentioned in the 11th century. He belonged to the Montlaur family, some of whom, like Pons and Bernard, took part in the first crusade in 1095 alongside Raymond, Count of Toulouse. The castle passed on by inheritance until the 15th century, before being assigned to the family of Bousquet-Verlhac in 1592, after the marriage of a descendant of the Montlaur.

In 1120, the castle saw the birth of John I of Montlaur, the future bishop of Maguelone, known for having contributed to the condemnation of Cathar heresy by the Pope, thus triggering the crusade against the Albiges. The site played a strategic role during the Wars of Religion: in 1573 it resisted a siege of Protestant troops, then fell in 1622 after a week of assault led by Henri de Rohan. The fortifications were then dismantled, and the village of Montaud was born from the ruins of the castle.

The castle, due to its resistance in 1622, earned the family of Montlaur the addition of seven fleurs de lys on their coat of arms by Louis XIV in 1664. Although ruined since the 17th century, the site remains a notable example of medieval military architecture, dominating the plain to the sea from a cevenol foothill. It was listed as a historic monument in 1942 for its remains, including a watchtower and fortified buildings.

The Barony of Montlaur, attached to the castle, was erected as a marquisat in 1679 for the benefit of Stephen de Bousquet. In the 18th century, the estate passed into the hands of the family of Villardi by inheritance, after the death without descendants of Jacques-Josèphe-Toussaint-Hercule de Bousquet in 1748. Since then, the castle has remained in the same family line, although never rebuilt after its destruction.

Today, the ruins of Montlaur Castle, located on a fortified terrace in the shape of an irregular pentagon, offer a testimony of religious conflicts and defensive strategies of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Their geographical position, between garrigues and plains, makes it an emblematic site of Languedoc history, linked to figures such as Jean de Montlaur or Henri de Rohan.

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