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Origin and history

The castle of Versas is an emblematic monument located in the municipality of Sanilhac, in the department of Ardèche, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Built probably in the 16th century, it is distinguished by its Renaissance architecture, including a classified octagonal tower and a facade overlooking the valley. The site is completed by a 19th century dovecote, adding a more recent touch to the historical complex.

The first known lord, Audiber I of Versas and Montbrison, was mentioned in 1301. The seigneury then passes into the hands of several generations of the Montbrison family, often linked to Protestant religion. Between 1594 and 1603, Françoise de Bernard, Lady of Versas, and her husband Noë de Lamartinière undertook major renovations, transforming the castle into a larger building.

In the 17th century, the seigneury was transmitted by inheritance and marriage alliances, notably through the families of Bernard, Combas, and Tardivon. In 1705, Jeudy de Tardivon, the last heiress, gave the castle to François Denis Auguste Grimoard de Beauvoir du Roure, Count of Brison. At the beginning of the 20th century, the castle belonged to a Protestant pastor, Sugier des Vans, emphasizing its anchor in local religious history.

The castle is located halfway between Sanilhac and Vernon, below, and shares its history with other nearby fortifications, such as the Tower of Brison and the ruins of the castle of Brison, the latter dating from the 17th century and devastated during the Revolution. These elements illustrate the strategic and historical importance of the region.

The architecture of the castle, with its two wings framed by an octagonal tower, reflects the Renaissance influences and successive changes. The work of the early seventeenth century, led by Françoise de Bernard and Noë de Lamartinière, marked its present appearance. The dovecote, added in the 19th century, reflects a continuous occupation and adaptation to the agricultural needs of the period.

Finally, the castle of Versas embodies the turbulent history of the Ardèche, between religious conflicts, nobility and architectural transformations. Its link with Protestantism, especially through the actions of the Montbrison family, makes it a symbol of the tensions and alliances that marked the region in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

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