Château de Montmirail, Castle in Montmirail, France

Château de Montmirail is a 16th-century castle in the heart of Montmirail, in the Marne. Built in 1553 for Jacques de Silly, it presents a symmetrical pale stone facade with a central triangular gable above the entrance, two rows of evenly spaced rectangular windows, and a steep dark roof. Rows of tall trees flank the building and partly hide its outer walls.

The present building was constructed in 1553 by Jacques de Silly on the site of the former castle, along with its park. It has been listed as a monument historique since 2 March 1928. Louis XIII stayed there three times, in 1622 and 1632, and Napoleon came on 11 June 1814 to plan the Battle of Montmirail.

The château's name comes from the Montmirail family, lords from the 11th century; Jean de Montmirail, constable of France, saved Philip Augustus at Gisors and joined the Fourth Crusade. In 1553 Jacques de Silly built the present château on the same site, and in 1640 Louis II de La Trémoille bought it for 550,000 livres and added the wing facing the church.

The building stands in the centre of Montmirail, in the Marne department, and is listed as a monument historique since 2 March 1928. It is a private property, so visits are not open to the public; the pale stone facade with its triangular gable and two rows of windows can be seen from the street and the gravel path. Look for the symmetrical front flanked by rows of tall trees.

The present building was put up in 1553 by Jacques de Silly, who married Madeleine d'Annebault in 1547 and also laid out the park on its current site. The property had passed through the Montmirail, Coucy, Pierrepont and Sarrebruck families before reaching the Sillys.