Château de Montal: A French Renaissance Castle in Saint-Jean-Lespinasse

Visitor Information

Google Rating: 4.6

Popularity: Low

Google Maps: View on Google Maps

Official Website: www.chateau-montal.fr

Country: France

Civilization: Unclassified

Remains: Military

History

The castle of Montal is located in the municipality of Saint-Jean-Lespinasse in modern-day France. It was originally constructed as a medieval residence and later transformed into a representative French Renaissance château.

The site was first notably acquired in 1494 by Robert de Balzac, Seigneur of Entraygues, who gained ownership through his marriage to Antoinette de Castelnau-Caylus. Robert de Balzac held significant roles, serving as chamberlain to King Louis XI and as seneschal of Agenais. He also accompanied King Charles VIII on the 1495 campaign to Italy and was appointed governor of the city of Pisa during this period.

Between 1519 and 1534, the castle underwent a major transformation under Jeanne de Balsac d’Entraygues, daughter of Robert de Balzac and widow of Amaury II de Montal, a lord associated with the nearby Laroquebrou. Jeanne adapted the medieval structure into a refined French Renaissance château, establishing the name “Montal” in connection with her late husband’s family. During this time, she commissioned a series of sculpted busts on the château’s façade, portraying herself, her deceased husband, their children—Dordet and Robert, the latter having died in 1523 during the Italian wars—their daughter Nine, and her son-in-law François de Scorailles. A motto inscribed on the building, “Plus d’espoir” (“No more hope”), reflects the mourning for the family members lost in these conflicts.

The château remained in noble hands until the late 18th century. In 1771, Count Jean-Jacques de Plas de Tanes became its owner. His son Antoine, who served as a deputy to the Estates General, fled in 1792 as the French Revolution unfolded. During this turbulent time, the château suffered ransacking and was unsuccessfully offered for sale in 1793. Subsequently, it was repurposed as an inn.

Following the Revolution, the château was returned to Antoine de Plas but was found to be uninhabitable and devoid of furnishings. Over the 19th century, the property passed through several owners, including a banker from Saint-Céré and a property trader named Macaire du Verdier. In 1880, significant parts of the château’s sculpted decorations and architectural details were dismantled and sold, threatening the building’s completeness.

The preservation of the main staircase was crucial in preventing the château from falling into ruin. Further sales of interior decorations took place in 1903 until, in 1908, the industrialist Maurice Fenaille became the owner. Between 1908 and 1913, Fenaille undertook extensive restoration work, recovering dispersed elements when possible and commissioning reproductions to replace lost sculptures and architectural features. Furnished with period-appropriate pieces, the château regained much of its Renaissance character. In 1913, Fenaille donated the château to the French State while retaining usufruct rights for himself and his daughters, facilitating the return of formerly scattered busts and decorations from museums and collections across Paris, Kensington, Lyon, and Berlin.

During World War II, the château served as a place of refuge; from May to June 1940, it sheltered the three children of King Leopold III of Belgium in exile. It was here that Prince Baudouin fell ill. Later, between March 1943 and June 1945, the famous painting, the Mona Lisa, was concealed at the château for safekeeping.

Since 1 October 2006, the château has been administered by the French Centre des monuments nationaux and has been recognized as a historic monument since 1909.

Remains

The castle of Montal is laid out as a French Renaissance residence consisting of two wings that frame a central courtyard, known as the cour d’honneur. This courtyard serves as the heart of the château and is surrounded on its corners by three round towers topped with distinctive pepperpot roofs, alongside one square tower. While the building retains some austere medieval elements, these features no longer serve defensive purposes and instead contribute to the château’s stylistic character.

The façades seen from the outside are relatively plain but reference medieval architecture with decorative details such as machicolations—openings originally used in fortifications—adapted here purely for ornamentation rather than defense. The towers contain large windows, a departure from purely military architecture, and the roofs are covered with slate, consistent with both original Renaissance and later restoration styles.

Inside the courtyard, early French Renaissance tastes are clearly visible. The inner façades of the two principal wings display ornate decorations, creating an elegant setting. A prominent straight staircase, derived from Italian Renaissance precedents, replaces the spiral staircases typical of the medieval period and links the floors within the main residential areas.

One of the château’s most remarkable features is its sculptural decoration. Between the ground and first floors runs a decorative frieze illustrating mythological and allegorical scenes. These include figures such as Hermes riding a unicorn, the strongman Hercules wrestling Antaeus, and allegories of Mars alongside Victory. Cherubs and fantastic creatures also adorn this band, interspersed with coats of arms and the initials of Jeanne de Balsac and her sons, Robert and Dordet. These motifs offer a vivid visual narrative combining mythology with personal symbolism.

On the first floor, a series of high-relief busts is displayed beneath triangular pediments. These represent Jeanne de Balsac, her family members including both the living and those who had died before the sculptures were made, such as her sons Robert and Dordet. Accompanying these busts are statues signifying the four cardinal virtues, underscoring the moral and intellectual ideals valued during the Renaissance.

Many of the château’s finely crafted elements—its sculpted decorations, doors, dormer windows, and fireplaces—were dismantled and sold in the late 19th century. The preservation of the main staircase was a decisive factor in preventing the château’s destruction. Early 20th-century restorations concentrated on recovering original parts deposited in museums and private collections, as well as reproducing missing details to restore the château’s Renaissance identity. Today, these carefully restored architectural and decorative features survive as testimony to the château’s layered history.