Montrognon Tower

The Montrognon Tower, locally known as Tour de Montrognon, stands above the village of Ceyrat in the Puy-de-Dôme department in France.

The Tour de Montrognon is the last visible remnant of the former Montrognon Castle, which once stood on this strategic hill at the edge of the volcanic plateau of the Massif Central, from where the fortress controlled the approaches to Clermont and the surrounding valleys.

The castle was constructed around 1190 by Robert I, Dauphin of Auvergne, on the site of an earlier fortification linked to the Montrognon family since at least the 11th century. Robert had lost part of his inheritance in disputes within the ruling family of Auvergne and aimed to establish a new residence near Clermont. He then strengthened the Montrognon fortification and transformed it into a strongly fortified residence.

Montrognon remained in the possession of the Dauphins of Auvergne until 1426, when Béraud III, Dauphin of Auvergne, died without heirs. Through inheritance, the castle passed into the House of Bourbon.

The Bourbons held the estate until 1527, when the possessions of Charles III, Duke of Bourbon, were confiscated by Francis I of France. In 1554, the castle was granted to Catherine de' Medici, who attached it to the County of Auvergne.

Montrognon Castle was dismantled and partially razed in 1633 as part of Cardinal Richelieu's policy against the nobility. It then lost its strategic importance and was subsequently abandoned.

A tower of the castle ruin collapsed in 1828, while the wind in February 1840 demolished a section of the walls and part of the keep. It then served as a quarry for the inhabitants of Ceyrat. In 1884, two locals digging in the ruins in search of supposed Templar treasures were buried under collapsing rubble, killing one instantly, while the other was trapped for over 7 days.

What remains today is a ruined tower, which probably served as the castle's keep, and rubble from collapsed walls on the slopes of the hill.

Today, the wooded hill is a local nature park, and the Montrognon Tower is freely accessible. It's not a spectacular tower, but it offers great views.

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