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Origin and history

The castle of Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, also called Castrum Sancti Michaelis, is a 13th century castle located on the plateau of Chambarlet, above the city of Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, in Savoie. Its strategic location, overlooking the Maurian valleys and access to Italy, Taraise and Briançonnais, made it a major checkpoint for trade and medieval trade routes. The site monitored the passage to the Col des Encombres and the local fairs, frequented by merchants of the Piedmontese and Alpine valleys.

Originally, the castle belonged to the seigneurial family of Saint-Michel, mentioned in 1104 with Guillaume de Saint-Michel. The line joined the family of La Chambre, and in 1295 the last representative of the Saint-Michel disappeared. The castle then passed into the hands of the Mareschal family (or Mareschaux) of Saint-Michel in 1309, which kept it until the 16th century. In 1597, the French troops of Lieutenant-General Lesdiguières seized it during the conflicts between Savoie and France.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the Duke Charles-Emmanuel I of Savoie sold the income of the mestralia of Saint-Michel to the Duin family (or Duyn), notably to Pierre and Jean-Balthazard, who became Barons then Counts of Saint-Michel. Although the castle lost its military role, its seigneurial heritage persisted through the nobiliary titles. Today, the castle remains only a circular tower, dated from the second half of the 13th century, and some scattered remains. The municipality, the owner of the site, has engaged in excavations and restoration work since 2012.

The tower, with a defensive vocation, is the only remaining element of the old castral ensemble. Its architecture and position reflect its strategic importance during the Middle Ages, particularly in controlling the trade and military routes between the Alps and Italy. The archaeological excavations carried out in 2012 by Hadès allowed us to better understand its history, although the exact layout of the castle remains uncertain.

The castle illustrates the feudal history of the Maurienne, marked by rivalries between noble families, matrimonial alliances and territorial issues related to its geographical position. Its gradual decline, accelerated by the conflicts of the sixteenth century, made it a symbol of the political and military transformations of Savoy at the dawn of the modern era.

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