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Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of the Balme, also called the castle of the Balme of Sillingy or formerly the castle of Cosengier, was a strong house built between the 14th and 16th centuries. Located in the former county of Geneva, it was part of a defensive network including the castles of La Bâtie and the house fort of Dalmaz, controlling the tracks between Annecy, Geneva and the Rhône. Its strategic location, at the foot of the Mandallaz mountain, allowed it to monitor a major road junction.

The first mention of the castle dates back to 1279, in a marriage contract of the Count of Geneva Aymon II. It served as a comtal residence until the 14th century, before passing under Savoyard domination in 1401. A fire in 1370 severely damaged the structure, requiring major repairs, the roof of which was rebuilt with 10,000 shingles. The castle housed a chapel and played an administrative role as the seat of a castle united with that of La Bâtie.

In the 15th century, the castle was gradually abandoned by the Counts of Savoy to other residences such as Annecy or Duingt. Despite its decline, it remained a prison and administrative centre until its total ruin in the 17th–18th century. The remains disappeared almost entirely, leaving room for modern constructions such as a day care stop. Today, only the toponym and archives recall its existence.

The castle was associated with two other defensive sites: the strong house of Dalmaz, still partially standing, and the castle of La Bâtie, destroyed by the Bernese in the 16th century. These three buildings formed a coherent system for controlling access between Savoie, Geneva and the Rhône. La Balme's castle, reporting directly to the Counts of Geneva and then Savoie, managed the tax revenues and the maintenance of the fortifications.

Among the notable figures related to the castle were Count Amédée III of Geneva, who wrote his will there in 1360, and Robert of Geneva, who stayed there in 1369. The site also briefly welcomed the future saint Colette de Corbie between 1407 and 1409. From the 17th century, the lords of Reydet de Choisy, then the Geneva-Nemours, became owners, but without restoring the building, already in ruins.

The excavations and archives reveal a modest castle for the period: a strong house rather than a fortress, with a shingle roof and tiles, and walls flanked by towers. Its decline is due to its replacement with more strategic castles and the evolution of military techniques. The local inhabitants, forgetting its history, later called it the "castle of the fairies".

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