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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Chazey-sur-Ain, founded in the 12th century by the sisters of Coligny, was the center of the seigneury of Chazey. This castle, located in the department of Ain, was renovated in the 15th century and restored in the 19th century. It has been listed as a historical monument since 1987, reflecting its architectural and historical significance.

In the 13th century, the seigneury of Chazey passed by alliance to Albert III of the Tour du Pin, then to Humbert II, the last dolphin of Vienna, who gave it in 1349 to King Philip VI of Valois. In 1355 King John and the dolphin gave it to Count Amédée VI de Savoie, marking its integration into the Savoyard domain. The seigneury changed hands several times, notably between the families of Varax, Savoy and Medici, before being sold in 1580 to Bénigne Pastey, then in 1615 to Renaud de Cremeaux.

The castle suffered partial destruction, notably after a fire in the 16th century and a dismantling in 1595 by Marshal Biron. It was partially rebuilt and restored in the 19th century by Marius Cote, a Lyon banker, under the direction of architect Philibert Bellemain. The castral chapel, dedicated to Notre-Dame-de-Pitié, founded in the 15th century, gradually disappeared, no longer being used in the 17th century.

Architecturally, the castle is organized around a rectangular courtyard, with a square dungeon flanked by a staircase turret, a two-storey house, and commons including stables and dovecote. The facades and roofs, as well as some interior rooms such as the justice room or the King's bedroom, have been protected since 1987. The site, overlooking the valley of the Ain, offers a silhouette marked by its slate roofs and its fallout.

The castle is linked to major historical figures, like Charles de Savoie, born in 1486 in this castle then named "Château de Chazey-en-Bugey". The seigneury remained in Savoy's house until it joined France in 1601 with the Bugey. After the Revolution, the castle, in partial ruins, was saved by the restorations of the 19th century, giving it its present appearance.

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