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Origin and history

The Château de Montfort, located in Montigny-Montfort in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, is a medieval fortress built around 1075 by Bernard de Montfort, close to the Dukes of Burgundy. Perched at 317 meters above sea level, it dominates the Dandarge, Ronce and Louère valleys. Its unique architecture, with seven towers and a low court with ramparts, makes it a remarkable example of a 13th century castle, although its origins date back to the 11th century.

In the Middle Ages, the castle changed hands several times by inheritances and marriages. Around 1289, Géraud de Maulmont, adviser to Philip IV the Bel, rebuilt it. He then moved to Vergy's family, then to Geoffroy I of Charny (1340) and the Bauffremonts. The site is also linked to the Holy Shroud, preserved here between 1360 and 1388 by Jeanne de Vergy, before being transferred to Lirey and then Chambéry.

In the Renaissance, the castle was seized by François I (1521) after the conflict with Philibert de Chalon, prince of Orange. He returned to the family of Orange-Nassau in 1547, with Guillaume I who undertook work. In the 17th century it was sold to Louvois (1688), minister of Louis XIV, then to the Duke of Harcourt before being acquired in 1731 by Frédéric de La Forest, the only seigneur to reside there.

In the 19th century, the castle fell into ruins after it was bought by a former domestic (1817). Saved in 1985 by Jean-Marie Fériès, it was ceded in 2011 to the commune. Today, the Mons Forti association restores it and opens it to the public. It has been protected since 1925 as a historical monument.

The site is distinguished by its imposing remains: a 30-metre south wall with three semi-octogonal towers (including the Amélie Tower), a 28-metre well, and the remains of the guard room. The lower courtyard, surrounded by ramparts, bears witness to its continuous defensive system. The castle illustrates the architectural and political evolution of Burgundian fortresses.

The Holy Shroud, a major relic of Christianity, was hidden there for 28 years (1360–1388) by Jeanne de Vergy, before being transferred to Chambéry and then Turin. This period marks the history of the castle, linked to the crusades via Othon de la Roche, which would have acquired it during the bag of Constantinople (1204).

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