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Origin and history

The command of Montfrin was established by the Order of the Temple in the second half of the 12th century, after the donation of the castrum of Montfrin by Lord Pons de Meynes in 1146. The Templars built a commandery and the church of Notre-Dame-de-Malpas from 1169. This site became an economic and religious centre, with a chapel, a well, a bread oven, a prison, a cemetery, agricultural land and mills, organized around a central courtyard.

After the dissolution of the Order of the Temple in 1312, the commandory and its dependencies passed to the order of the Hospital (Hospitaliers). The buildings, partially preserved, now include a massive renovated tower at the northwest corner of the original quadrilateral. The ensemble, protected since 2003, bears witness to medieval Templar architecture and its role in the region.

The church of Notre-Dame-de-Malpas, built by the Templars in the 12th century, was included in the additional inventory of historical monuments in 1926. The commandory has been fully protected (excluding the modern communal hall) since 2003, covering the courtyards and the ground of the old cemetery. These protections underline its heritage importance in the Gard and in Occitanie.

The commandory illustrates the typical organization of the Templar settlements: a separate residential part of the chapel, and autonomous infrastructures (moulins, farm) reflecting their dual military and religious vocation. His history is documented in specialized books such as L'Ordre du Temple in the lower Rhône valley (Damien Carraz, 2005).

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