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Origin and history

The castle of Ars is an ancient fortified house built in the 13th century on the town of Avignonet, in the department of Isère. Placed on a foothill above the Drac, it overlooks the Monteynard-Avignonet dam and is in an area classified with natural hazards. Its architecture, marked by additions between the 15th and 17th centuries, combines defensive elements (like a large square tower, perhaps an old dungeon) and residential parts, with sill windows. The masonry, composed of pebbles, tiles and shale bound by a yellowish mortar, contrasts with granite, limestone and tuff angles according to the levels.

The exact origins of the castle remain unclear, but it is known that in the 17th century its owners owned the seigneuries of Ars and Avignonet. These lands were sold to the Denantes family, who settled there at the beginning of the eighteenth century before abandoning the place. In 1961, EDF acquired the site during the construction of the neighbouring dam and planned to demolish it for safety reasons. The building was abandoned and deteriorated until the creation in April 2000 of the Savons le château d'Ars association, which campaigned for its preservation and integration into a hiking circuit.

Despite the partial collapse of the roofs during the winter of 2005-2006, the site was purchased in June 2007 by the Communauté de Communes du Trièves (formerly Monestier-de-Clermont). Starting in 2009, work on securing and freezing the ruins was undertaken, revealing traces of painted decorations. These efforts culminated in 2010 in obtaining the Heritage in Isère label, highlighting the historic and landscape value of the site. Today, the castle presents itself as an evocative vestige, witness to medieval and modern architectural transformations.

The site, classified for its heritage interest, illustrates the conservation challenges of rural monuments threatened by urbanization and hydroelectric development. Its recent history also reflects the citizen's commitment to safeguarding a local heritage, between collective memory and tourism development.

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