Alpine Mountain Biking

The Chateau Montfort (or Robert) comes at the end of the Coteau des Crolles mountain bike trail. The first mention of fortifications on the site comes from a property register for village of Domène dating from 1069 - it mentions Montis Fortis. It was probably a large mound with a wooden tower erected on a promontory dominating this part of the Gresivaudan. The stone castle dates back to the 13th Century probably following the construction of a stone tower a century earlier.



During the middle ages this was part of the marches between the Dauphiné and the Savoie. Montfort formed part of a defensive chain of at least ten castles and numerous fortified residences. The Chateau de Montfort served three functions, a lookout and defence for the valley, it blocked the Pas de la Ferté (Pal de Fer) a key access to the Plateau des Petites Roches and was a residence.



When the Dauphine Béatrix de Faucigny, daughter of Pierre Count of the Savoie and wife to the Dauphin Guigues VII, lived at Montfort in 1286 the chateau had an outer circumference of 47 toises (1 toise is about 2 meters). The interior had a quadrangular shaped tower on four stories of about 28 meters height. There were two halls one of which was heated by a large fire, living quarters and a kitchen. The entrance to the caste was defended by a gate defended by a guardhouse.



Apart from the guardhouse only the lower walls of the castle remain. The guardhouse was still occupied into the 20th century.

The site was largely overgrown until 1999 when an association (les Raissoneurs de Pierre) agreed to restore and make safe the ruins. Volunteers spend each Satuarday working on the remains. A fortnight of work is planned between the 11th and 22nd of July, 2005. This will complete archaeological exploration of the site. If you are interested in working on a real French castle telephone: 04 76 08 99 20. For logistical reasons you will need to be available for 1 week between 9h30 and 17h00.