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Origin and history

The Essalois castle rises on a site occupied since Antiquity, marked by a Gaulish oppidum of the Ségusiaves (between -170 and -25 BC). Archaeological excavations revealed walls, amphorae and evidence of trade with Italy, well before the Roman period. This place, naturally fortified, served as a strategic point overlooking the Loire, with remains still visible near the "palais", 500 meters from the present castle.

The first written mentions of the castle date from the 14th century, with charters evoking the Puy d'Essalois from 1337. In 1378, Arthaud de Villedieu paid tribute to the Count of Forez for a tower and house supervising the Loire. In 1464, the tower belongs to Beraud de la Bâtie, but no remains of this early construction have been identified to date. The medieval history of the site thus remains partly mysterious.

The current structure was built in 1580 by Léonard de Bertrand, lord of Essalois and master of water and forests at Montbrison. Ten years later, in 1590, the castle was looted by leaguers led by Honoré d'Urfé. In the 17th century, the seigneury passed to the De la Veuhe families and then to the Escoubleau de Sourdis, before being sold in 1671 to the monks Camaldules du Val Jésus. The latter exploited it until 1798, when it was sold as a national good during the Revolution.

In the 19th century, the ruined castle was bought and restored by Hippolyte Sauzea, a Stéphanese merchant, who placed his coat of arms on the west facade. The traces of this restoration (bricks, cornices, arcatures) are still visible today. The east and west facades bear distinct marks from the two construction campaigns, mixing medieval elements and 19th century additions.

Since 1976, the castle has belonged to the Syndicat Mixte d'Amenagement des Gorges de la Loire and the Loire department. A restoration carried out since 1983, under the direction of Gilles Michelou and the architect of the Bâtiments de France M. Lazar, has preserved this emblematic monument. Open to visit, it offers an exceptional view of Lake Grangent and symbolizes the local heritage action.

The site preserves traces of its centuries-old past: two round towers of the 16th century, vestiges of the Gallic oppidum, and architectural elements of the 19th and 20th centuries. Its history reflects the strategic, economic (salmon fishing, farm) and political (national goods) issues that have affected the Forez region.

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