Chateau de Montfaucon

The history of Château de Montfaucon dates back to the 11th century when the castle’s first tower was built. The castle’s role in history was strategic; the Rhône River was the border between the French Kingdom and the Holy Roman German Empire. Montfaucon was one of a line of castles and fortresses along the Rhône River constructed to guard the border, and later to tax ships carrying goods up and down the River.

The castle was damaged during the religious wars in the 16th century. The de Pertuis family, our ancestors, had come to Avignon from Piemonte in Italy following the Popes. They acquired the Chateau de Montfaucon in 1766. Thus Joseph Gabriel de Pertuis became the Baron de Montfaucon.

Joseph Gabriel’s son, Eugene, served as Mayor of Avignon and member of the parliament from 1826 to 1830. He married a Scottish lady, Agatha Clavering. They had a son named Louis, Baron Louis de Montfaucon, and a daughter, Wilhelmine.

From 1936 to 1995 the family continued to cultivate the vines but sold the grapes to a co-operative. This has allowed us to inherit beautiful old vines of Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise that are up to 90 years old.

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