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Origin and history

The castle of Montpezat is mentioned for the first time in 994 under the name of "Alsas", then in 1119 as castrum Montis-Pesati in a papal bubble of 1156. Originally owned by the bishop of Nîmes, he was transferred to Saint-Louis in 1269, who had allegedly stayed there. Its name evolves from the Latin Mons Pezatus ("broken mountain" or "cleared"), reflecting its strategic role on the cevenol foothills.

In the 16th century, the castle changed hands: sold in 1521 to Pierre Tremolet, doctor of François I, it became an issue during the Wars of Religion. In 1569, Protestants took refuge there before being massacred by the troops of the Marshal of Damville. The building, burned in 1789, was saved by the inhabitants, but its stairs were broken and its apartments looted. Before the Revolution, it formed a closed quadrilateral, with a chapel on a south terrace.

Architecturally, the castle retains three buildings surrounding a courtyard. The north wing, pierced by arcades and a 15th century door, contrasts with the east wing, with a partially ruined square tower and a corbelled gallery. The west wing ends with a round tower flanked by a polygonal staircase turret. Listed at the Historic Monuments in 1949 for its facades and roofs, there remains a private property closed to the public.

The commune of Montpezat, rural and characterised by an agricultural economy (viculture, chestnut trees), has seen its population grow since 1968, reaching 1,402 inhabitants in 2023. The castle, symbol of its medieval past and religious conflicts, is part of a Cevenol landscape between forests (46% of the territory) and agricultural land (50%).

Its history also reflects the local dynamics: partial dismantling of the ramparts in 1573 (hence the well of Platanes Square), and a community life organized around the church of Saint Sebastian and the Protestant temple, both protected. Today, the castle embodies the memory of a village whose identity is linked to its built and natural heritage.

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