Logo Musée du Patrimoine

All French heritage classified by regions, departments and cities

Castle à Saint-André-de-la-Roche dans les Alpes-Maritimes

Castle

    2 Chemin des Arnaud
    06730 Saint-André-de-la-Roche
Ownership of an association
Crédit photo : Jpchevreau - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Haut Moyen Âge
Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1000
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
999
First written entry
1624
First mention of the castle
1775
Date inscribed on a decor
1862
Sale at the Saint-Paul Hospice
10 juin 1975
Historical monument classification
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Façades and roofs of the castle and its chapel (Box A 654): inscription by order of 10 June 1975; Large central lounge and side galleries; vestibule of the residence East; small salon with cupola of arabesques; Mythological fair (time and death); lounge decorated with Baroque architecture in trompe-l'oeil with their decor (cad. A 654): by order of 10 June 1975

Key figures

Odile - Original owner Leaves the villa della Rocca in 999.
Melchior Michelotti - Lord and son-in-law Chabaud Acquire fief in 1555.
Pierre Thaon - Heir by marriage Wife Camilla Michelotti in 1606.
Charles Antoine Thaon - Beneficiary of donation Receives the castle in 1624.
Marc'Antonio Grigho - Inspired architect Style close to the chapel.

Origin and history

The Château de Saint-André, located in the Alpes-Maritimes, finds its origins in a written mention from 999, when the will of Odile bequeathed a property to the abbey Saint-Pons of Nice. This fief, originally linked to the Chabaud family, passed to the Michelotti in 1555 by marriage, then to the Thaon de Revel in 1606. The transformation of the fortified house into a baroque villa took place in the 17th century, as evidenced by a donation from 1624.

The present structure, dating from the first half of the eighteenth century, combines an old strong house to the east, a Baroque chapel to the west, and a central loggia decorated with stucco. The interior frescoes, sometimes attributed to the Galliari brothers or Abraham Van Loo without proof, contrast with the sobriety of the facades. The castle, owned by the Thaon de Revel, became a reception place before being sold in 1862.

Ranked a historic monument in 1975 for its facades, roofs, and interior decorations (including a mythological salon and a cupola with arabesques), the castle is now managed by the Emmaus Companions. Its history reflects the links between the Nice nobility and the house of Savoie, as well as the architectural changes in Nice County.

The site, acquired by a surveyor during the Revolution and then returned to the Thaon in 1812, illustrates the political upheavals in the region. The protected elements include Baroque decorations and a chapel inspired by Marc'Antonio Grigho, active in Monaco and Nice in the 17th century.

External links