Montreuil-Bellay Castle: A Medieval Fortress in France

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.chateau-montreuil-bellay.fr

Country: France

Civilization: Early Modern, Medieval European, Modern

Site type: Military

Remains: Castle

History

The Castle of Montreuil-Bellay stands in the town of Montreuil-Bellay, France, on a site originally occupied by a Gallo-Roman village. This strategic location on a hill overlooking the Thouet River was first fortified in the 11th century by Foulques Nerra, Count of Anjou, who established a stronghold to secure the Loudunois area and keep watch over the vicomtes of Thouars.

Initially, the castle belonged to Gelduin le Danois before passing by inheritance to Berlay le Vieux, the first lord of Bellay. In 1025, Foulques Nerra seized control of the fortress and appointed Giraud Berlay as his vassal. Throughout the 12th century, the castle was a focal point of military conflict, enduring two sieges. The most notable occurred in 1151 when Geoffroy Plantagenêt captured it after a prolonged siege lasting a year, employing siege engines and fire-based weapons.

Under the reign of Philip II Augustus, from the late 12th to early 13th century, the castle underwent major fortification efforts. These included the construction of thick defensive walls, thirteen interconnected towers, and a fortified gateway. Between 1204 and 1212, Philip II further enhanced the defenses by adding eleven smaller towers, a gate, and deep surrounding ditches, investing a considerable sum of 2,500 livres tournois in these works.

Ownership of the castle shifted through several noble families over the centuries, often through marriage alliances. The Berlay family gave way to the Melun family in the early 13th century, followed by the Harcourt-Montgommery family in the 15th century, and later the Orléans-Longueville and Cossé-Brissac families. During the Hundred Years’ War, the castle was reinforced to withstand frequent attacks on the town.

In the turbulent period of the French Wars of Religion (1562–1598), the town suffered extensive burning, yet the fortress itself remained largely undamaged. The French Revolution brought a new chapter when the castle was seized and repurposed as a prison for women suspected of supporting the royalist cause.

In the 19th century, the castle passed into private hands when Adrien Niveleau, a businessman from Saumur, purchased the property and divided it into rental units. A significant restoration was carried out in 1860 by Niveleau’s daughter, who redecorated parts of the castle in the romantic Troubadour style. The castle continues to be privately owned by her descendants.

Remains

The Castle of Montreuil-Bellay is a large medieval fortress that reflects multiple phases of construction and remodeling from the 11th through the 17th centuries. It occupies a commanding position within the old walled town, situated at the crossroads of important regional routes. The castle’s layout is defined by extensive fortifications, including a long defensive wall built in the 13th century, measuring approximately 200 toises (about 390 meters) in length. This wall is roughly six feet thick and eighteen feet high, topped with crenellations for defense. A fortified gatehouse with a barbican—a defensive outwork—guards the entrance, while a deep moat system surrounds the complex, featuring ditches up to forty feet wide and twenty feet deep.

Originally, a tall stone keep, or tour maîtresse, stood near the entrance courtyard, serving as the main stronghold, but it was demolished before 1840. The gatehouse constructed in the mid-15th century includes two towers rising three stories high. Inside, prestigious apartments are accessed by a spiral staircase adorned with heraldic arms, reflecting the status of its occupants.

The castle’s residential buildings include the “Logis vieux” (Old Lodging), built in stages between 1445 and 1458. This structure consists of two wings arranged at right angles along the eastern ramparts near the entrance. Nearby, the “Logis neuf” (New Lodging), completed around 1475, faces the Thouet River. This rectangular building is flanked by three towers and contains two stacked oratories—small chapels—with painted decorations that were restored in 1909.

Defensive features from the 15th century include a circular artillery platform, or barbican, measuring 21.5 meters in diameter, constructed between 1460 and 1470. A fortified wall separates the upper and lower courtyards, featuring a large gate equipped with machicolations—openings through which defenders could drop objects or pour substances on attackers below.

The castle also contains a vaulted kitchen building, originally separate from the main lodgings to reduce fire risk. This kitchen was later converted into stables before 1760 and is connected to the main residence by a covered gallery. Another notable structure is the “Logis des chanoines” or offices building, built against the ramparts. It features four spiral staircases topped with distinctive pepperpot-shaped roofs. Inside, it houses a hypocaust-heated steam bath (étuve), with a heated chamber on the ground floor and a warm, humid room above, illustrating medieval bathing practices.

The collegiate church of Notre-Dame, constructed on the site of the former castle chapel, was begun in 1472 and completed in the 1490s. This religious building was transferred to the local commune in the 19th century.

Throughout its history, the castle’s fortifications have included thirteen interlocking towers and a fortified gateway, all encircled by the moat system. In the 14th century, the lower courtyard was densely built with temporary housing and troglodyte dwellings carved into the rock. Today, the castle is well preserved and has been classified as a historic monument since 1979. Additional protections have been granted in recent years for the former stables and granaries, ensuring the conservation of this remarkable medieval complex.