Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Lucey Castle, formerly called Loyssey or Boigne Castle, is a 13th-century strong house that was deeply transformed in the 19th century. Located on the steps of the little Bugey Savoyard, it was the heart of a lordship raised in Barony (1563) and then in Marquisat (1654). Its strategic location, dominating the Rhône and the town of Lucey, reflects its central role in the power of the La Forest family from the Middle Ages. The site, occupied from Roman times, housed a sovereign land with tolls, mill and parish.

Built by the La Forest family, the castle passed to the Chevelu in the 14th century after the extinction of the male lineage. Louis de Chevelu, advisor to Amédée VIII de Savoie, grew in the 15th century and participated in the founding of the Order of Saint-Maurice. The Chevelu, allied to the Forest by marriage, gave Lucey to the Mareste in the 16th century. The latter, which became Barons and then Marquis, transformed the estate into an influential fiefdom including Chanaz, Billeème and Yenne. The castle, a theatre of noble rejoicing, was dismantled in 1794 during the Revolution.

In the 19th century, General Benoît de Boigne, a rich Savoyard patron, partially acquired and restored the castle, adding a Renaissance forebody. His grandson, Ernest de Boigne, continued the work. The site, which preserves 17th-century murals and a medieval waterfall, also houses Gallo-Roman remains (Earth in Mithra, funeral plaque). Since 2018, its court has hosted the BatôJazz festival, and it serves as a setting for audiovisual productions such as the Secours release series.

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