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Origin and history

The castle of Saix, built in the 13th century in Peronnas in the Ain, was the heart of the Saix seigneury. Originally owned by the Gentiles bearing this name, such as Hugues du Saix (1080–1090) or Gui II (1188), he remained in their line until Bernard du Saix, who passed it on in 1454 to his daughter Jeanne, wife of Jacques de Chalant. This fort, rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries, illustrates the evolution of the fortifications between Dombes and Bresse.

In the 16th century, the estate changed hands several times: Claude de Chalant, without heir, bequeathed him to his nephew Étienne-Philibert, who sold him in 1551 to Philippe de Poges. After a dispute, he fell to Marguerite du Pré, wife of Abel de Loras, and then to their descendant Ennemond. Philip II of Savoy granted high justice there in 1483 and 1487, strengthening his seigneurial status. The families De Loras (until 1857) and then Chambaud later owned them.

The present building, classified as a Historical Monument in 1987, preserves defensive elements from the 14th–15th centuries: monumental chimneys, a braided gate, and a brick wall surmounted by an old round road. The house body, backed by the rampart and flanked by a square tower, coexists with a 19th century bourgeois wing, reflecting its adaptation to successive periods.

Historical sources, such as the work of Marie-Claude Guigue (1873), underline her role in the local feudal organization. Located 3 km south-east of Péronnas by the D23b, the castle today embodies an architectural heritage combining Middle Ages and later modifications, accessible via the Merimée base under the code INSEE 01289.

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