Montfleury castle

History of the Castle of Montfleury

A fortified house built in the 13th century, the Château de Montfleury in Avressieux has undergone many architectural changes over the ages, notably in the 16th, 18th and 19th centuries. The medieval Saracen tower was completed in the Renaissance with a main building, another hexagonal tower and a watchtower. In the 19th century, an additional wing was added to the castle, built in the Renaissance style. Stronghold of the seigneury then barony of Montfleury, the castle of Avressieux became the site of a summer camp in the 1960s. Major restoration work was undertaken from 1972. The castle was transformed into a museum du Vieux Terroir, and now houses remarkable collections of artillery, bikes and local tools. The history of the Château de Montfleury has been marked by the passage of several celebrities of the arts and letters: Delacroix, Stendhal, Mérimée, or Alberthe de Rubempré.

Visit of the castle of Montfleury

Between Pont-de-Beauvoisin and Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers, the Château de Montfleury is an exciting and fun visit to do with the family. The museum it houses explores 4,000 years of history, through rooms devoted to paleontology, ceramics, and military archeology. The outbuildings are home to a large collection of old agricultural tools. If the military archeology museum of the castle of Montfleury is the most important private museum in Europe on this theme, another collection, more unusual, also makes the reputation of the site: they are velocipeds dating from the years 1820 to 1920 , brought together by the owner of the château in a remarkable collection, the second in France! The historic rooms of the castle are also open to the public: you will find, furnished and restored, the kitchen, the room of the squire, and that of Alberthe de Rubempré. Children are invited to visit the castle in a fun way with the puzzle book "The prisoner's secret of the Saracen tower".

Prices and schedules

The Château de Montfleury and its museums are open every weekend and on public holidays from April 1 to June 30, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The site is then open daily from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. from July 1 to August 31. From September 1 to October 31, the chateau reopens on weekends only. The entry price is set at 7.50 euros for an adult, and 3.50 euros for a child up to 14 years old. Special prices for groups are possible from 15 people. Guided tours are offered at no additional cost, as well as the provision of an audio guide. The visit book for children with puzzles around the secret of the prisoner of the Saracen tower is on sale for 2 euros at the entrance of the castle.