Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Triviers Castle is a 16th-century building built around 1550 by the noble Berthier, secretary to the Chamber of Accounts and State Councillor. Located in Challes-les-Eaux, Savoie, it embodies the Renaissance architecture of the region. Originally, it is a strong house, symbol of the local power of the Berthier family, which expands and transmits it through generations.

In 1613, the castle became the stronghold of Saint Vincent after François Berthier, son of the founder, obtained the title of "Lord of Saint Vincent". The estate extended through marriage alliances, notably in 1637 with the marriage of Claude Gaspard Berthier and Lucrece Raffin de La Biguerne. The heirs, like Alphonse Berthier de Saint Vincent, perpetuated the lineage until the beginning of the 18th century, where legal conflicts led to its sale by Jean-Louis Berthier, who went to live in Italy.

In the 19th century, the castle changed its vocation radically. It was transformed into a hotel under the name of Hôtel d'England in 1883 by Louis Vuillerme and became a residence divided into apartments in 1890. Its history continues with various uses: boarding house during the wars, headquarters of the National Civil Aviation Centre in 1946, then hotel renowned until the 1960s. In 1995, it was definitely converted into private apartments, closing its architectural and social evolution.

Triviers Park, an area of 108 hectares since 1800, bears witness to the agricultural and landscape transformations associated with successive owners. Among them, Ms. Favier de La Biguerne and Marquis Paul d'Oncieu de Chaffardon mark the climax of its territorial extension. The bourgeois and noble families who succeeded them reflected the economic and political changes of Savoy, between the Ancient Regime and the contemporary era.

The archives also mention periods of collective use, such as the summer camp for children of the Atlantic Buildings in the 1950s. These phases illustrate the adaptation of the castle to the social needs of its time, from the status of aristocratic residence to that of tourist or educational establishment. Its architecture and history make it a representative heritage of Savoy.

Finally, the sources underline its inscription in the local landscape, with close links to the commune of Challes-les-Eaux, known for its thermal waters. The Château de Triviers, although less publicized than other Savoyard buildings, remains a witness to the historical, family and economic dynamics that have shaped the region since the Renaissance.

External links