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Origin and history

The castle of Roussillon, located in the department of Isère, was rebuilt in 1552 in Italian Renaissance style by Cardinal François de Tournon, minister of François I and amateur of Italian art. This high ecclesiastical dignitary, heir to Roussillon County in 1532, bought a strong house and nearby houses in 1547 to build an innovative castle. The works, probably led by architect Jean Vallet according to the plans of Sebastiano Serlio, range between 1548 and 1558, as evidenced by the dates engraved on the facades. The cardinal, appointed archbishop of Lyon in 1551, stayed there for a long time in 1552-1553 for his recovery.

The castle, classified as a historical monument in 1997, has unique features such as Florentine facades, a baluster staircase and a fern ceiling. In 1559, Just de Tournon, nephew of the cardinal, hosted the procession of Marguerite de France. In 1564 Catherine de Medici stayed there and wrote the editorial of Roussillon, a major text for the kingdom. The castle changed hands several times, becoming well national during the Revolution before being bought by the commune in 1868. Since 1872 it has been home to the city hall, and its western wing is now home to the tourist office.

The legend attributes Shakespeare a stay at the castle, a source of inspiration for everything that ends well. Architecturally, the U-shaped castle comprises three parts: the old stronghold, the "new castle" (Italian villa of 20x28 m) and a 51 m long west wing, connected by a covered bridge inspired by Florentine palaces. Medieval elements remain, such as the Gendarmerie Tower and a third-point courtine. The terraced gardens, once lined with orchards and vineyards, have disappeared.

The facades, roofs, the west wing, the interiors of the second floor and the stairway with open core wall have been classified as historical monuments since 1997. The ground floor and the first floor (excluding classified parts) are included in the additional inventory. The castle is fully visited, allowing to discover the cardinal's apartments on the second floor of the "new castle". Its staircase with balusters and grotesque decorations of the 16th century make it a rare testimony of the Renaissance in France.

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