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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Montjalin Castle, located in Sauvigny-le-Bois, Yonne, is a building rebuilt in the 18th century before the French Revolution. It occupies the highest point of the region, at 310 meters above sea level, and replaces a 12th century medieval mansion surrounded by moat. The present castle, surrounded by a wooded park, was commanded by Caesar de Fresne, lord of Montjalin (1743-1807), whose arms and those of his wife, Denise Michaud de la Tour, adorn the pediment.

The monument housed until 2010 the Museum of Cars of Heads of State, a collection of presidential vehicles gathered by Olivier Delafon. This collection was dispersed during an auction in February 2011. Since 1988, the façades, roofs, the fence wall, the log-out and the gates (including the gate) have been listed as historical monuments.

The name Monte-Jalen, attested from the twelfth century, evokes its medieval origin. The castle, symbol of local seigneurial power, evolved into an aristocratic residence under the Old Regime. Its architecture and park reflect the aesthetic cannons of the eighteenth century, while preserving traces of its defensive past, such as the leap-of-loup.

Today, the castle remains a testimony of local history and the evolution of the Burgundy elites. Its inscription in historical monuments underscores its heritage value, both for its architecture and for its role in the collective memory of the Yonne.

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