Tour d'Oingt, Historical monument in Val d'Oingt, France

The Tour d'Oingt, also called the Donjon, is a medieval stone keep in Val d'Oingt, in the Beaujolais hills. It rises about 18 metres, with thick walls, small window openings and a rectangular plan. The tower was built before 1183 and later joined the 13th-century village fortifications; the municipality has owned it since 1912.

The tower was built before 1183 and became part of a larger set of fortifications erected in the 13th century, when the area served as a border point between different medieval territories. The village municipality has owned it since 1912, and a local association was set up in 1964 to fund its restoration.

Locals call it the Donjon, from the Latin dominium, a reminder of its role as the village's main defensive tower. Each floor holds a small exhibition on local history, winemaking and the changing landscape, and the tower is opened by volunteers of the association founded in 1964.

The tower stands in the heart of Val d'Oingt, a short walk from the village streets and the church square. Access to the upper levels is by a narrow stone spiral staircase with low openings, so wear firm shoes and carry little. The visit is not adapted for pushchairs or wheelchairs.

On a clear day, the terrace at the top of the tower offers a view stretching as far as the Alps, the Bugey hills, and the Monts d'Or range. The first floor inside holds an exhibition that traces the local landscape all the way back to when the area was covered by a prehistoric sea.