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Origin and history

Montagnieu Fort House is a medieval building built in the 14th and 15th centuries in the municipality of Soleymieu, Isère. Located on the hillside, it dominates the road between Crémieu and Morestel (D517). Its rectangular architecture, flanked by a square tower with a spiral staircase, bears witness to its initial defensive role. The facades and roofs, listed as historic monuments in 1979, are covered with limestone slabs, and a 16th century sundial adorns the southern facade.

The first attested lord was Henri de Montagnieu in 1347, followed by successive tributes by Amblard de Machy in 1363 and 1375. In 1430 Arthaud de Machy wrote his will in the chapel of the fortified house. In the 18th century, the La Poype family changed the building: demolition of the wall of enclosure to build two pavilions (1778), expansion of the windows, and addition of an oven dated 1734. The interior transformations reflect an adaptation to the residential uses of the period.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Camel de Montgolfier family renovated the large room on the first floor in a medieval style and placed its coat of arms on the front door. Since 1976, the fort house has belonged to the Christian community of the Chemin Neuf, which has set up a chapel and reception areas for spiritual retreats, particularly focused on "inner healing". The old barn, partially ruined, was restored to a place of worship.

The interior retains remarkable elements, such as a rectangular hall on the first floor, flanked by square rooms. At the top of the staircase, a small vaulted room in a dogive cross, decorated with sculptures depicting two angels, an abbot and a female figure, suggests an ancient religious use. This function was perpetuated by the New Way, which today uses the whole as a house of welcome and prayer.

Architecturally, the strong house originally formed the north side of a fortified square, whose walls, thick from 1.10 to 1.15 meters and eight meters high, were crenelated. The traces of these defensive arrangements remain visible. Built in limestone, the structure combines robustness and elegance, with subsequent modifications reflecting its evolution towards a residential and spiritual use.

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