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Origin and history

The Château de Rochefort, in Amplepuis (Rhône), finds its origins in a strong house from the 13th–14th centuries, enlarged in the 15th century. The remains of this period remain in the general plan and some openings of the west wing. Around 1606, the house was radically redesigned to adopt its current configuration: a square divided into four distinct spaces (castle with moat, garden, parker and common). In 1632, a chapel was set up in the east wing, marking the religious influence of the time.

In the 18th century, the castle underwent new modifications: in 1746, the drawbridge and the north moat were abolished in favour of a wrought iron grid, while in 1753, two closed traffic galleries were added to the south and east facades. The interiors preserve decorations of the late eighteenth century, as well as archaeological traces of earlier decorations, such as a staircase decorated with trompe-l'oeil and 17th-century camaïeux. The entrance pavilion, modified in the 18th century, is inscribed in historical monuments.

Former seigneury, the castle successively belonged to Guichard de Sarron (1460), Claude de Rébé — founder in 1557 of the first school of Amplepuis — and then to the families of Auxerre and Pomey (1789). Ranked in 2009 for its architectural elements (doves, terraces, commons, gardens), it remains a private property, currently owned by the Varax family. Although not open to the visit, its exterior and entrance pavilion testify to its architectural evolution.

The site is part of a landscape marked by its cutting stone drawbridge, its square towers covered "to the French", and a regular garden connected by a bridge. The weather has altered some parts, but the fence walls, moats and balustered terraces retain their historical integrity. The sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) underline its role as seigneurial residence and then family, reflecting the social and architectural transformations of the region.

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