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Origin and history

The Château de Grangent, first mentioned in 1173, was built on a promontory overlooking the Loire, in Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert. At the time, it belonged to the County of Forez, as evidenced by a permutation between the Count and the Church of Lyon, imposing a tribute to anyone who took possession of it. This strategic site, several times destroyed and rebuilt, illustrates the feudal tensions in the region.

In 1796 the castle was sold as a national good, marking the end of its political role. Partially listed as historical monuments in 1945 for its buckwheat fireplace, then as a registered site in 1946, it became a private property. The construction of the Grangent Dam in 1957 radically transformed its environment, placing it on an artificial island in the middle of the lake.

Today, Grangent Castle is distinguished by its narrow dungeon, accessible by ladders between the floors, and its medieval remains. Although closed to the public, it remains a symbol of the Liguria heritage, linked to feudal history and modern landscape transformations. Its current isolation contrasts with its past as a dominant fortress on the Loire.

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