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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Montricoux, located at the entrance of the gorges of Aveyron between Nègrepelisse and Bruniquel, is an emblematic monument of the Tarn-et-Garonne. Built in the 14th century, it includes a 12th century dungeon, completed in 1187, which served as a medieval fortress. This square dungeon, 20 meters high, was crowned with four turrets in corbellation, now missing. Inside, a vaulted room in a broken cradle, decorated with Moorish-inspired frescoes, bears witness to its Templar heritage.

In 1181 the monks of Saint Antonin gave up the seigneury of Montricoux to the Knights of the Order of the Temple, making the castle a commandory. After the dissolution of the Templars in 1312, Philip the Bel transmitted the site to Esquieu de Floyran, a Templar delator, before he passed on to the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem in 1322. In 1332, the seigneury was sold to Peter Duèze, brother of Pope John XXII, marking the beginning of three centuries under the Duèze/Caraman family.

In the 16th century, the castle suffered the ravages of religious wars: in 1568, the Calvinists of Montauban looted it and burned it. Purchased in 1616 by Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully, the estate is built as a county. In the 18th century, the Count of Malartic undertook a partial reconstruction, integrating the old dungeon with a Tuscan-inspired house, with a rotunda decorated with statues by Jean-Marie-Joseph Ingres. The dungeon was finally listed as a historic monument in 1927.

Today, the castle houses the Marcel-Lenoir Museum, dedicated to this artist (1872-1931), with 130 of his works. The site thus combines medieval heritage, classical architecture and artistic heritage, reflecting a rich and turbulent history.

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