Château Bontemps is a private 12th-century castle located in Arbois in the Jura department of Franche-Comté. The building is constructed from ocher stone, similar to the 18th-century imperial dome bell tower of the Saint-Just church in Arbois. It has been listed as a historical monument since 1989.
In the 13th century, the castle was integrated into the city's fortifications along the Cuisance, alongside the Saint-Just church and the Gloriette tower. In 1479, the building was destroyed during the reconquest of the region by the troops of Louis XI of France.
After the destruction, the ruins were purchased by Pierre Bontemps, a canon of the Notre-Dame d'Arbois collégiale, who restored the site and lived in the castle. His heirs continued to inhabit the building until 1793, when it was sold as national property during the French Revolution.
In 1847, the castle was sold by the court of Arbois to the architect André Perrard, who had it restored. Since then, it has been owned by several successive private owners.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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