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Origin and history

The Château de la Rive, also known as the Château de Verdon Dessous, is an ancient 13th century fortified house, profoundly transformed at the beginning of the 20th century. Located in the hamlet of the Baraterie, on the town of Cruet en Savoie, it was part of a defensive ensemble with the strong houses of the Chaffard, the Chanay and the castle of Verdun-Dessus. These buildings strategically controlled the Isère Valley, reflecting the military and seigneurial importance of the site.

The seigneury of Verdon, associated with this castle, passes into the hands of several noble families over the centuries. As early as the 13th century, a knight Pierre de Verdon was mentioned as owner. In the 16th century, the Duverger family took possession of it before it returned to the Verdun, then to the Mouxy by marriage. In 1617, the fort house was sold to the Ramus de Charpenne, a bourgeois family of Seyssel, marking a transition in its seigneurial history.

In the 18th century, the castle belonged to the Marquis Louis de Lucey, descendant of the previous owners by alliance. In 1923, it was acquired by the Ducat family, then by the Chaland de Montmélian. Architecturally, the castle adopts a U-shaped shape, with a medieval square tower as the oldest element. Despite modern renovations, it retains Gothic openings and vaulted basements on stone columns.

A major discovery took place in 1985: Romanesque murals, 1.30 meters high, representing crusaders and the burial of a Count of Savoy, probably Amédée III. These restored frescoes are now on display at the Savoisian Museum in Chambéry. They bear witness to the link between the lords of Verdon and the house of Savoy, especially through Guillaume de Chignin, who accompanied the Count in crusade.

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