Château de Montferrand, Listed historic castle in Lagnieu, France
The Château de Montferrand is a listed historic castle in Lagnieu, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The building features several towers around a central courtyard and houses a room decorated with 16th-century wall paintings.
The castle was built in 1471 by Claude de Montferrand on the orders of the Duke of Savoy, forming part of the town's fortifications. After the French Revolution, it was converted into private housing, and the original roofing and parts of the outer walls were lost over time.
The paintings inside the castle show scenes from mythology, including Hercules fighting lions and a young woman holding a unicorn on her lap. These images were likely inspired by woodcuts from a 15th-century book of myths and heroes.
Visits to the castle are available on request and are generally organized for groups of at least ten people. It is best to contact the town hall of Lagnieu in advance to arrange a visit.
During a survey in 2015, restorer Isabelle Rosaz found that around 40 percent of the wall paintings had vanished, but the remaining frescos still showed a scene featuring a unicorn. Researchers think the paintings may reference the wedding celebrations of the Duke of Burgundy in 1468 in Bruges, an event that drew attention across Europe.
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