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Origin and history

The castle of Fallavier is a former 13th century castle located in the commune of Saint-Quentin-Fallavier (Isère), in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Built on the Relong hill at 344 meters above sea level, it overlooks a 136-hectare pond and occupies a strategic position. Its origins date back to 877, when an edict by Charles le Chauve protected the surrounding forest. The property of the Beauvoir de Marc towards the year one thousand, it was strengthened by the Counts of Savoy before 1250 and became a political issue between kingdoms and seigneuries.

His history is marked by frequent changes of hands: acquired by the king of France in 1360, ceded to the count of Geneva in 1369, then taken over in 1406 on Odon de Villars. In 1430, the prince of Orange seized, before he passed by marriage to Dunois, who defended him against the dolphin Louis XI. An inventory of 1436 reveals a medieval arsenal (balists, cannons, bombardments) stored alongside foodstuffs (wine, honey, salison). Abandoned from the 17th century, it fell into ruins before being restored by volunteers in the 1970s and 2000.

The site preserves impressive remains: a 25-metre-high circular dungeon (originally 32 metres), a double enclosure, and traces of a fossilized moth. The chapel, identifiable by its windows, and a well bear witness to daily life. The castle also houses the oldest known châtellenia account (1246-1247), a rare document on the seigneurial administration. Since 1992, it has been owned by the municipality and serves as a stage for audiovisual productions, such as the Kaamelott series.

Ranked among the historic monuments of Isère, the castle illustrates medieval military architecture and its role in the conflicts between Savoy, Dauphiné and the crown of France. Recent restorations, carried out by the Association Chantier Histoire et Architecture Médiévales (2002-2007), have preserved this emblematic heritage of the Viennese Savoyard.

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