Château de Montrottier

Château de Montrottier hosts seminars, study days, business meetings, weddings and private receptions for up to 80 guests indoors. The medieval castle stands in Lovagny, about 10 km from Annecy on the road between Geneva and Chambéry, next to the Gorges du Fier.

Seminars and company events

The castle lists seminars, study days, conferences and business events among its hire options. The largest indoor room, the Salle des Gardes, takes up to 80 people, which suits a plenary session or a working lunch for a single team. Le Cellier, with up to 40 people, works as a second room for a workshop or a smaller committee. A working day can end with a visit of the collections: the castle already runs guided visits for adult groups of 15 to 100 people, and the programme is put together with the team.

Weddings and receptions

Weddings, christenings, birthdays and other family celebrations make up most of the reception offer, from a drinks reception to a full dinner. Evening hire runs until 6 am, with the option to set up the day before. A brunch the following day and a cleaning service can be added. For other formats, such as a daytime event only, the castle asks organisers to contact the team.

Rooms and capacities

The Salle des Gardes holds up to 80 guests and dates from the 14th century. Le Cellier holds up to 40 guests. Outside, the terrace and the lice de joutes, the former jousting lists, can be used for a drinks reception or a ceremony. The castle does not publish capacities for these outdoor spaces. Floor plans and layout options are given on request.

Catering

The castle does not publish an in-house catering offer for events. Organisers should ask the team which caterers can work on site. For a group visit, several restaurants and a food truck operate close to the castle, including the restaurant of the Montrottier golf course.

History and setting

Montrottier guarded one of the few crossings of the Fier in the Savoy states. It is a pentagonal fortress built around a tall cylindrical keep. The Tour des Religieuses, the oldest part, dates from the 13th century. The Logis des Chevaliers, the Logis des Comtes and the Salle des Gardes date from the 14th century, the keep from the 15th. The castle passed from Duke Amédée VIII of Savoy to the de Menthon family, who held it from 1427 until the Revolution, then to the families of General Dufour, de Rochette and Frèrejean. The collector Léon Marès bought it in 1906 and in 1916 bequeathed the estate and his collections to the Académie florimontane. It was protected as a historic monument in 1919 and has held the Musée de France label since 2003. Its cabinet of curiosities covers music, games, clothing, furniture, arms and armour, table arts and childhood, and is still shown the way Marès arranged it.

Getting there

Montrottier is less than 15 minutes by car from Annecy and about 30 minutes from Geneva. The site has a coach drop-off and a car park. The museum opens to the public from April to October, so dates for an event are best fixed early with the team.