Château de Montluc

English translation

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History

Part of the castle dates from the 13th century; the other was built by the Marshal of Monluc in 1567. This castle is one of the last fortresses adapted in France in the second half of the 16th century. The building presents a triangular form. Starting point of Monluc's expeditions against the Protestants, the building is a sort of redoubt where he gathered his troops. For greater security, Monluc devised a trapezoid plan around a central courtyard with barracks buildings with walls bristling with defensive towers, pierced with loopholes and cannon ports. Addition of new elements imitated from Italian fortifications and announcing the methods perfected by Vauban. For the first time the bastion appears, as Monluc had experimented with it at the siege of Siena. The north façade is framed by two towers. The upper part of the East bastion no doubt contained the chapel. At the end of his life, he wrote "Commentaries" there. The kitchens have retained their appearance from the 14th century. The cenotaph is situated on one of the faces of the enclosure wall. It is in white marble and bears a statue of a recumbent figure partly mutilated. The columns which formed the surround are partly broken.