Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Beauregard is an old fortified house built in the 13th century on the commune of Saint-Jeoire-en-Faucigny (Haute-Savoie), on a slope of the Herbette massif. Originally, it was a rectangular dungeon with thick walls of 1.20 m, designed to defend the village. This central core, still visible today, was completed over the centuries by defensive and residential elements, such as a staircase tower in raw marble (XIVth century) or a glass loggia (early 20th century).

The history of the castle is inseparable from the family of La Fléchère, vassale des sires de Faucigny, which owned it for eight centuries (from the 12th century to 2004). The monument suffered multiple destructions, notably during the Bernese invasion in 1589 (fire) or during the French Revolution, requiring partial reconstruction. A white stripe under the roof commemorates the participation of a family member in the crusade of Count Green Amédée VI de Savoie in 1366.

Architecturally, the castle combines medieval remains (angle towers, partial enclosure) and later additions, such as a 17th century crenelated terrace, originally designed for a floor. The chapel, located in a northwest tower, preserves frescoes masked by a pink coating in the 20th century. In 2004, the castle was transferred to the Diocese of Annecy, then entrusted in 2008 to the Eucharistic Brotherhood, a Franciscan-inspired religious community.

The enclosure walls, partially destroyed in the 19th century, and the cellars transformed into houses illustrate the successive adaptations of the building. In spite of the damage, details such as a moored window (south side) show structural changes over time. The site remains an emblematic example of Savoyard fortified houses, marked by a dual defensive and residential vocation.

The family of La Fléchère, probably of Scottish origin, played a key role in local history, linked to the Savoy states. Their long possession of the castle (until 2004) makes it a symbol of seigneurial continuity in Faucigny, despite the political and military tumults that marked the Middle Ages region in modern times.

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