Situated in the heart of Marcoussis, France, Château de Montagu, originally named 'La Motte, was constructed by Jean de Montagu between 1400 and 1408. A wedding gift, it was snatched by the king in 1388, due to Jeanne Pisdoë’s husband's debt. The castle's ownership saw a game of musical chairs during the Hundred Years War, switching hands between the Armagnacs and the Bourguignons, and the English and the French. In the early 16th century, Jeanne de Montagu’s son, Louis Malet de Graville, moved his family to Marcoussis and transformed 'La Motte' into a fortress, akin to the Bastille.
He added a terrace, large windows, a grand staircase, a fountain, a falconry, and a pigeonhouse. The castle was expanded upon further in the 16th century. Following the Hundred Years War, French kings found solace in this castle until it was lost amidst the French Revolution. Rediscovered around 50 years ago, it is now preserved as a monument historique since 1984, a grim relic of a bygone era.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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