Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Montalembert, located in Maîche in the Haut-Doubs, is a 16th century neo-classical building surrounded by French gardens. It replaces an ancient medieval castle, destroyed during the war of the two Burgundys (1474-1477), of which today only remains ruins. The present castle, built in 1524 in the heart of the city, is attested by the date engraved on the lintel of its door. In the 18th century, it was profoundly reshaped by the Marquis Alexandre-Nicolas-Joseph and François-Xavier-Joseph Guyot de Maîche, who then owned it.

The castle is associated with significant historical figures. Charles de Montalembert, a royalist Liberal MP, stayed there regularly until his death in 1870, giving him his current name. In 1944, it was the scene of strategic meetings during the Second World War: Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle and Jean de Lattre de Tassigny gathered there on 13 November to prepare the offensive of Alsace. De Gaulle had already been there on 24 September 1944 to meet the army of De Lattre.

The Guyot family, at the origin of its construction, retained the property until 1824, when its last representative, François-Xavier-Joseph, died. The castle then passed to his niece, Anna de Mérod, who married Count Charles de Montalembert in 1836. Among its particularities, the castle houses a panoramic wallpaper in one of its rooms. Ranked a historic monument in 1950, today it remains a private property.

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