En un regard
Le château en bref
Château de Pontcharraud is located in the commune of Ainay-le-Château, in the Allier department, about 2 km south-east of the village. Its origins date back to 1301, when the knight Guy de Montgarnaud held the “méson de Pontcherraut” as a fief. The seigneury changed hands several times between 1350 and 1410, passing notably through Johanis Franz and Jehan de la Porte, and then through the Blasson, Grozieux, d'Orgère and de la Halle families; Jehan de la Halle became its lord around 1503 and referred to it as a “maison forte” (fortified house). The estate then passed to the de Villelume, Biotiere and de Rolland families. The château retains a square 16th-century keep as well as a chapel, the buildings as a whole having been heavily altered over time. A castle motte also survives, formerly surrounded by a pond which, when drained in 1995, revealed archaeological material. The château is not listed (classé) as a Monument historique, unlike the town fortifications of Ainay-le-Château, which have been registered since 2007. Privately owned, it is not open to visitors.
