Frontenay is a rural commune in the Jura region, just a few kilometers from Lons-le-Saunier. It is famous for its château, listed as a Monument Historique in 1991.
Historical anecdotes :
The castle is an ancient fortress dating back to the 12th century, built on an archaeological site.
Indeed, the first written mention of Frontenay castle dates back to 1109. At this date, the first lords of Frontenay were related to the Counts of Burgundy.
In the Middle Ages, Frontenay was an important town protecting the salt route to Salins-les-Bains. In the 14th century, Jean de Chalon, Lord of Arlay, built an enormous keep to protect the road to Salins.
Then, in 1410, the chatelaine, Blanche de Genève, welcomed the future Saint Colette, who founded the first community of Reformed Poor Clares.
In 1446, Louis II de Chalon-Arlay, a powerful lord descended from Jean de Chalon, entrusted the château to one of his loyal squires. He himself offered it to his descendants. The château passed through the hands of the Fallerans, Visemal, Montrichard, Chamberet and then the Sury d'Aspremont families. To this day, the castle remains in the hands of the descendants of the Sury d'Aspremont family.
In the 17th century, the château was taken by French troops during the Ten Years' War (a Comtois episode in the Thirty Years' War).
In Frontenay, you can also discover :
- The nearby church of Sainte-Madeleine
- L'allée de Tilleuls with its particularly exotic atmosphere
- Notre-Dame de Lourdes grotto
- The grave of Bernard Clavel
JurAbsolu advice:
And don't forget that this year, as in every odd-numbered year, the Château de Frontenay will be hosting the fantastic Frontenay Jazz festival on August 18 & 19. So don't miss out and get your ticket online on the Frontenay Jazz website.