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Origin and history

Jarcieu Castle, located in the Isère department, dates from the late Middle Ages, probably from the 15th century, although an earlier castle may have existed. It was partly redesigned in the 17th century and remained the property of local aristocrats until the early 20th century. His walls welcomed royal figures, such as Charles VIII and Charles IX, on their journey to Dauphiné.

In the 15th century, Jacques de Miolans, governor of Dauphiné, received King Charles VIII there before dying there in 1496. In 1564 Charles IX, accompanied by Catherine de Medici and future Henry III and Henry IV, stopped there to escape an epidemic of plague in Roussillon. The castle was also a strategic place during the Wars of Religion, notably under Jacques de Saluces de Miolans, Protestant captain.

During the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV, the castle belonged to influential families such as the Mitte-Miolans, then the Falcoz de la Blache until the 18th century. In the 19th century he passed to the Rostaing de la Valuze. Today, it houses a fine earthenware museum, unique in France, presenting rare objects such as rebus plates or old piggy bank. The site, accessible to people with reduced mobility, is visited with its park and gardens.

Built with local materials (molasse, pebbles, pebbles), the castle has an 18th century sundial decorated with the motto IN RECTO DECUS. Its name, Jarcieu, comes from a Gallo-Roman estate, Garciacum, attesting to its deep historical anchor in the region.

The village of Jarcieu, once crossed by the national road 519 (now decommissioned in RD519), remains accessible via roads linking Grenoble and Lyon. A bus line (BEA04) also serves the site, facilitating access from nearby cities.

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