Château de Montfrin

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Montfrin, dominated by its castle (privately-owned), classified as a Historic Monument.
Built around the ancient Roman tower, then the Templar keep, this often-revamped edifice has been home to many illustrious guests, including Louis XIII on 4 occasions.

Until the Renaissance, the Château de Montfrin had been used as a defensive structure, and had suffered numerous attacks. It had been enlarged and fortified by the various noble families who had occupied it through alliances and marriages: first belonging to the ALBARONS, who became a barony in 1304 under Philippe Le Bel, then to the ROQUEFEUIL (1397), LAUDUN, ALLEMAND and ARPAJON (1491) families. The CARDALHAC family and finally the MONTEYNARD family from 1519 to 1925, before being sold to Mr SCHREIBER.

Under the reign of Louis XIV, with the construction of Versailles, châtelains in the provinces were inspired by and imitated the sovereign.

Three generations of Monteynards transformed the fortified castle into a more classical style.
In the 17th and 18th centuries (1687-1728), François II de Monteynard and his wife began demolishing the old château and building a new one according to “a beautiful and grand plan”.
Joseph de Monteynard continued with the construction of the west facade and finished furnishing the first floor on the south side.

François III de Monteynard (1716-1791) completed the château as we see it today, removing the last of the fortifications and creating the terraces with stones from the ramparts.

During the French Revolution, the château was looted and vandalized, and the furniture sold. In 1794, the château escaped destruction thanks to the mayor of Montfrin, who petitioned the district of Beaucaire to turn it into a military hospital.
When Mr. Servan-Schreiber bought the château, he had a number of improvements made to it, such as landscaping the terraces and installing sanitary facilities.

After Robert Servan-Schreiber’s death, his daughter Marie Claire became the owner.
In her second marriage, she married Pierre Mendès-France, President of the Council under the Fourth Republic.
Chosen as a mediator to ensure dialogue between the PLO and the Israeli liberals, he received both parties at the château for in-depth conversations between September and December 1976.
The château now belongs to Marie-Claire Mendès-France’s son, Jean René Claret de Fleurieu.

For an exceptional view from the Montfrin panoramic table, go to

Gesproken talen : Frans

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