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Origin and history

The castle of Deptezieu, also called Danthesieu, has its origins in the 11th century. According to François Mancipoz (1948), today there is only one wing and one tower of the old fortress, a vestige of a much larger ensemble. This castle, located in the hamlet of Demptézieu south of Saint-Savin, was originally a powerful feudal fortress surrounded by a wall of 800 meters perimeter and defended by about fifteen towers.

In the Middle Ages, the castle changed hands several times and underwent major transformations. From 1075, Hugues de Deptezieu was the chestnut, and the land belonged to the abbots of Saint-Chef. In 1251 some of the rights to the castle were transferred to Pierre de Savoie, brother of Count Amédée IV. The site played a strategic role during the Delphino-Savoyard conflict: in 1314 it was exchanged between the dolphin John II of Vienna and Count Amédée V of Savoie, in a peace treaty including Montrevel and Meyssieu. In 1343, the dolphin Humbert II left him to Guichard de la Cote.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the castle was radically reshaped. In 1455, the future Louis XI ordered road works between Bourgoin and Crémieu, involving local notables such as Jean du Port and Jean Bovet. The seigneury then passed to the Alleman family, then to Alexandre Vallin around 1686. His last lord, Laurent Marguerite de Vallin, sold part of the estate before the Revolution. The hexagonal tower of the 16th century, decorated with finely-worked windows, and the stairway with screws are testimonies of that time.

In 1904, the castle became communal property. Its facades, roofs and stairway to the hexagonal tower were classified as historical monuments in 1954. Today, the site is being restored (2019). According to Eric Tasset, the castle had a body of rectangular houses flanked by a circular dungeon with remarkable arches, surrounded by deep ditches on the south and east sides.

Medieval sources mention the castle under the names Dentesiaci (XIII century) or Denteysiaci (XIV century). Its history reflects the power struggles between the Counts of Savoy, the dolphins of Vienna and the local lords, in an area marked by feudal conflicts and strategic alliances.

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