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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de Roussillon is a Renaissance-style pleasure castle, rebuilt in 1552 in the commune of Roussillon, in the department of Isère. It stands out as the only Renaissance building in the department, combining Italian influences and Florentine architecture. Since 1872, it has housed the town hall and, more recently, the tourist office, while remaining open for the visit, especially for its cardinal apartments and its open-wall staircase.

The castle was commissioned in 1547 by Cardinal François de Tournon, minister of Francis I and an Italian art lover, who acquired a strong house and nearby houses to build an innovative residence. The works, probably led by architect Jean Vallet according to the plans of Sebastiano Serlio, range between 1548 and 1558, as evidenced by the dates engraved on the building. The cardinal, archbishop of Lyon in 1551, stayed there for a long time in 1552-1553 for his recovery.

In 1559, the cardinal's nephew, Just de Tournon, received the procession of Marguerite de France on his way to the Duchy of Savoie. The castle also became the place of signature of the Édit de Roussillon in 1564, by Catherine de Médicis, setting January 1 as the beginning of the calendar year. This text was written during her stay at the castle, where she presented the kingdom to her son Charles IX.

The building, sold as a national property in 1794, was bought by the commune in 1868 after belonging to several noble families, including the Montmorency and the Clermont-Chaste. Ranked a historic monument in 1997, it retains unique features such as its Florentine facades, its fern ceiling, and a 51-metre west gallery inspired by Tuscan palaces. A legend even places a stay of Shakespeare, a source of inspiration for everything is well that ends well.

Architecturally, the castle forms a U with three parts: the strong central house, the "new castle" (Italian villa of 20x28 m) and the west wing, connected by a covered bridge reminiscent of Florence. Medieval remains remain, such as the Gendarmerie Tower and a third-point courtine. The terraced gardens, once lined with orchards and vineyards, have now disappeared.

Protected since 1997, the castle sees its facades, roofs, west wing, the interiors of the second floor and its listed staircase, while the ground floor and the first floor (excluding classified parts) are inscribed. A communal property, it illustrates the Italian influence in the Rhône valley and the patronage of the humanist prelates during the Renaissance.

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