Discovery
Saint-Montan: the volunteers who restored the old town
In Saint-Montan, the houses and ramparts that we see today owe a lot to a project started more than fifty years ago. The Friends of Saint-Montan association was created in 1970 to save the Saint-André-de-Mitroys chapel. The restoration then extended to the old town and the castle.
Le Mas d’Eylieux is in the same town. This story deserves to be known before a walk in the village: the streets have not simply survived the centuries intact.
First the chapel, then the old town
The association tells its history, from the initiative of Father Arnaud to the commitment of Marcel Armand and his colleagues. The Saint-André chapel has been restored in 1970 and 1971. Work on the houses then required finding the owners of the ruins and resolving their administrative situation before the work.
It was also necessary to obtain financing and organize the construction sites. The Saint-Montan town hall describes this rehabilitation with volunteers, public aid and business support. Reducing history to a single man, or to unassisted work, would remove part of what made it possible.
Three markers help to follow this first project, according to thestory published by the association :
- 1969 : the Saint-André chapel is described as being in an advanced state of abandonment.
- 1970 : the Friends of Saint-Montan association was founded to save it.
- 1970–1971 : the restoration of the chapel is carried out; work on the old town then continues with volunteers and professionals.
These dates shed light on the start of the restoration. Each house and the castle then have their own construction site history.
Looking at the stones with this story in mind
The vaults, roofs and houses of the town have been raised or restored over the course of the projects. You can look for details during the climb: door frames, masonry, covered passages. To understand the precise stages of a building, a guided tour by the association provides what a simple photo cannot tell.
The Friends of Saint-Montan also offer events and present the possibilities for visits. Check their schedule for the selected date. The conditions of access to the castle and the activities may differ from the free stroll in the streets.
Go up on foot, without skipping the walk
The old town is on a slope. Plan on sturdy shoes and a cool visit in summer. Calades and stairs make it difficult for a stroller or chair to pass through: ask for a suitable route rather than assuming the entire village is accessible.
Our Saint-Montan guide brings together the visit markers. For another heritage day, the guide to villages of character gives clues around.
Stay in the town
The Mas is in the hamlet of Eylieux, distinct from the old medieval village. A stay in our lodgings allows you to plan the village at a free time of the week, between neighboring markets and other exits.
Our page rental in Saint-Montan specifies the framework of the accommodation. For the history of the village, the sources of the association and the town hall remain the interlocutors of the story.
