Château de Montfa dans le Tarn

Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The château de Montfa, which was cited as the seat of a barony in 1255, belonged to the family of Lautrec, a branch of the Viscounts. His first certified owner, Isarn IV de Lautrec, died there in 1275. The site could go back to an earlier era, Montfa being mentioned as a "fortified village" in archives related to the succession of Frotard III. This castle, strategically positioned, became a family and territorial issue for the Lautrec for centuries.

Between the 13th and 20th centuries, the castle changed hands several times within noble lines. After Isarn IV, he passed to his son Frotard V, then to Guillaume, before being transmitted by marriage to the family of Arpajon in 1352. In the 15th century, the Counts of Foix briefly took control of it, but the Lautrec recovered it in 1430 via Peter VI, after an exchange including other castles. The succession continued with Antoine I and Antoine II, consolidating his anchor in this dynasty.

The sixteenth century marked a tumultuous period for Montfa, exposed to the wars of Religion. In 1569, the Protestant leader Gontaud de Biron razed the castle, which was rebuilt before being taken over in 1580 by Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, Viscount of Turenne. A last Protestant assault took place in 1591. At the same time, the Baron de Montfa, opposed to Henri I of Montmorency, was imprisoned at the Château de Vénès. These conflicts illustrate the religious and political tensions of the time.

From the 18th century to the present day, the castle experienced various vicissitudes. At the beginning of the 20th century, after the death of Alphonse de Toulouse-Lautrec (father of the painter) in 1913, he was abandoned, looted and used as a stone quarry. In 2017, an enthusiast bought it and founded an association for its restoration. Today, the site, in the process of rehabilitation, hosts cultural and educational events, while preserving its architectural heritage.

Architecturally, the castle of Montfa had a rectangular plan with a fortified enclosure, with a central courtyard. It included an early square tower to the northwest, a wooden body framed by towers, and a 13th century chapel dedicated to Saint Eugene, now restored. A second enclosure protected the hill. The dry ditches and the stone bridge (replacing an old drawbridge) testify to its defensive system. The surroundings, furnished with medieval orchard, rose garden and apple garden, add a landscape dimension to the site.

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