Château de Montépilloy

Château de Montépilloy is a medieval fortress ruin in the village of Montépilloy, in the Oise department, just a few kilometers from Senlis. The site is dominated by a massive keep visible from more than ten kilometers away — the most striking surviving piece of a stronghold once held by the Le Bouteiller de Senlis family.

How do you get there?

Montépilloy sits in the Hauts-de-France region, right next to Senlis, making it an easy addition to a day trip through the Oise-Pays de France regional nature park or a broader loop north of Paris. The château is privately owned, so entry to the grounds is only guaranteed on scheduled open days — outside those dates, visitors can still walk around the exterior and take in the scale of the ruins from the road and surrounding fields.

What will you see on site?

The centerpiece is the north-west face of the keep, a residential tower begun around 1188 under Gui Le Bouteiller de Senlis. At 35 meters tall, it was among the tallest towers in the entire royal domain at the time it was raised. Work on the keep as it stands today continued later, possibly under master builder Robert de Lorris, and was likely finished around 1390 by a subsequent owner, Enguerrand VII de Coucy.

Beyond the tower, visitors can make out sections of the surrounding wall, whose exact construction date is unknown, and a gatehouse dating from the early 13th century that was raised higher at the end of the 15th century. The grounds also hold the remains of an unfinished "new castle" begun in the early 15th century, planned with a tower, a curtain wall, a fortified gate, and two residential wings — a project that was never completed.

The site's history goes back to around 1150, when Gui IV Le Bouteiller de Senlis built the first fortification here. The Le Bouteiller family, officers at the royal court, held the lordship of Montépilloy until 1353, and it was during their tenure that the enclosing wall and the first fortified gate were built.

Montépilloy also has a place in French military history: in August 1429, the forces of Charles VII, backed by Joan of Arc, faced an English army at the foot of the castle. It was one of the last military episodes in the region in which the Maid of Orléans fought alongside the king before the campaign moved on.

After the end of the Hundred Years' War the fortress gradually fell into ruin, and a farm was set up inside the old defensive walls — it operated for centuries and stands unused today. The remaining structures were officially listed as a historic monument by decree on May 3, 1963.

When should you visit?

Interior access follows a seasonal calendar, roughly forty days a year between June and September, when the château opens for guided tours — usually run in a few time slots across each open weekend day. Organized groups can also arrange a visit outside this window on request. Even outside the open season, the keep and the surrounding walls remain visible from outside the fence, and the tower's silhouette is especially striking at sunset.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the château any day of the year? No — it's privately owned and open to the public only on set dates, mainly from June to September, plus by arrangement for organized groups.

What is Montépilloy's main attraction? The 35-meter keep, begun in the late 12th century and completed around 1390 — one of the tallest residential towers of its era in the region.

What historical event is the château linked to? In August 1429, the forces of Charles VII, joined by Joan of Arc, clashed with an English army beneath the castle walls during the Hundred Years' War.

Is the site a protected historic monument? Yes, the ruins were listed as a historic monument by decree on May 3, 1963.