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Origin and history

The Château de Sainte-Anne is a medieval castle whose ruins are located in the commune of Sainte-Anne, in the Doubs department (region Burgundy-Franche-Comté). Built on a rocky promontory at an altitude of more than 300 metres, it overlooks the valleys of the Arcange, Lison and Châteaurenaud Creek. Its strategic location, protected by limestone cliffs on three sides, made it an almost unobstructed fortress, reinforced by a ditch cut in the rock, a square tower and courtings connecting two other towers. A stone bridge, preceded by a disc-shaped barbacan, allowed access to the enclosure, while an inexhaustible spring and tanks provided water autonomy. A secret poterno, the Coulou Gate, offered an emergency exit to Migette Abbey in case of siege.

The history of the castle begins in 1235, when Hugues de Rans erected a wooden house on the promontory. A few decades later, John I of Chalon, lord in debt to the family of Rans, built a stone fortress there to secure the salt road. The castral village and its church, separated from the castle by a ditch, obtained their release in 1340, modelled on that of Montmahoux (1267). The stronghold, besieged several times, fell into the hands of Louis XI's troops around 1479, before playing a role in the Battle of Dournon (1493). In the 16th century, Gilbert Cousin described it as a "real stronghold, famous among all", highlighting its inexpugable character.

The Château de Sainte-Anne has three prominent seats in the 17th century. In 1639 Bernard de Saxe-Weimar failed to take him despite tricks, defended by Jean Girardot de Nozeroy. In 1668, during the flash war, he capitulated after 14 days under the assaults of the Duke of Luxembourg, commanded by Ferdinand de Visemal. In 1674 Jacques Henri de Durfort seized after three days, marking the end of the Comtoise resistance. Louis XIV ordered its dismantling in 1676. Today, there are only remains: the rocky ditch, notches suggesting wooden structures, and a cyclopean wall of stone with bosses.

The current ruins still make it possible to imagine the extent of this fortress. The deep ditch, cut into the rock, testifies to its sophisticated defensive system. The Coulou poterne, protected by a burning mouth, recalls the escape strategies in the event of a siege. The site, though delabrated, retains a historic aura, linked to its key role in Franco-Comtian conflicts and its dominant position on the surrounding valleys.

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