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Origin and history

Le château de Billeème () is a 13th-century castle built in the Savoy department in the town of Savoy. Originally, it was the heart of the seigneury of Billeme, overlooking the village about 500 meters southwest of the church. This monument, typical of Savoyard feudal constructions, illustrates the strategic importance of strong houses in the region at that time.

In the 13th century, Billième's family owned it. Nicolas de Billeème, a prominent member of this line, played a notable political role in 1285 by arbitrating the attribution of the Barony of Vaud to Louis de Savoie. His daughter, Isabelle, married Aynard de Seyssel in 1348, receiving a dowry from Louis II de Savoie. The fief then passed to the family of Bavoz in the 15th century, then to the Mareste, Marquis de Lucey, in the 18th century, before being confiscated as national property during the Revolution.

The castle was dismantled in 1794 on the orders of the representative Albitte, losing its unique tower. At the beginning of the twentieth century, it belonged to Count François-Clément de Mareschal de Luciane. Some of the buildings are then transformed into hotels. Today, it presents itself as a large house, preserving vestiges of the 13th century (original door) and 16th century (buttress, windows with arms), testimonies of its rich architectural past.

Historical sources, such as the works of Jean Létanche (1907) or Michèle Brocard (1995), underline its importance in local history. The site reflects the political and social changes of the Savoy, from its feudal role to its post-revolutionary transformation, through its occupation by influential noble families such as the Bavoz or the Mareste.

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