Château de Montaigut

The Château de Montaigut is a castle in the French commune of Gissac in the département of Aveyron. The first traces of the Château de Montaigut date from the 10th century. Built on a rocky outcrop dominating the valley of the Dourdou de Camarès river, it defended the town of Saint-Affrique against attacks from the south. Enlarged and transformed in the 15th century by the Blanc family, it was restored several times before falling into ruin. The association Amis du château de Montaigut, which took ownership in 1968, undertook a massive restoration. The castle was finally saved in 1989. The castle is built on a Middle Ages necropolis. The castle has beautiful vaulted rooms served by a spiral staircase, a cellar, a cistern carved in the rock, a guard room and prison, bedrooms and kitchens. Visitors can admire 17th century plasterworks. Today, the castle has become a permanent centre for cultural events. The Château de Montaigut is one of a group of 23 castles in Aveyron which have joined together to provide a tourist itinerary as the Route des Seigneurs du Rouergue. It is listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture. Less