Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Brison Tower is a 50 metre high isolated tower in the southern part of the Ardèche department in the municipality of Sanilhac. Dominating the villages of Vernon, Beaumont and Sanilhac at an altitude of 781 metres, it offers a 360° panorama of the region. A unique vestige of an abandoned castral complex, it was probably abandoned in favour of a more modern castle, partially destroyed in 1792 and completely in 1944.

The tower was restored around 1990 and is now used as a watch for the detection of forest fires by the SDIS of the Ardèche. It was redeveloped in 1989 by the association Les amis de la tour de Brison, and attracts tourists for its spectacular point of view. Its architecture suggests that it was part of a larger ensemble, including three square towers and a bassyard, according to the work of P.-Y. Laffont.

A local legend says that a Brison's sister, who had gone to the Crusades, would have made a pact with the Devil to stop his wife from remarrying. After his death, the Devil would come every year to take away a stone from the tower, announcing the end of the world when the last one will disappear. This story illustrates the mystery surrounding the origin and history of this monument.

The tower is today a symbol of the ardèche heritage, mixing modern utility (fire vigie) and medieval heritage. Its isolation in a grand landscape makes it an emblematic site, both historical and tourist.

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