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Origin and history

The Vuache Castle, also known as Vulbens Castle, was a central castral building in the former county of Geneva, built in the early 14th century. It dominated the village of Vulbens and controlled part of the waterway between Geneva and Lyon. His fief included the parishes of Chevrier and Dingy in Haute-Savoie. The name Vuache comes from the nearby mountain, mentioned from the twelfth century, and could derive from the lower Latin guachium (sentinal).

The castle was first owned by the lords of Viry-Sallenoves, as Hugues, who bequeathed it to his son Vilhemme in the 13th century. He gave it to the count of Geneva, Guillaume II, who rebuilt it in stone to strengthen his position in front of the Savoy. In 1296, Count Amédée II offered the castle to his niece Jeanne of Geneva in exchange for his inheritance rights. The site was also the place of signature of a treaty in 1307 between Geneva, Dauphiné and Savoie.

From the 15th century, after the integration of the county of Geneva with Savoy, the castle lost its strategic role. It was gradually abandoned in the 17th century, its stones being used to build a new castle (Faramaz). Excavations (1982–1985) revealed its foundations, including three towers and a northern home. The seigneury of Vuache, centered on this castle, managed four parishes and was administered by shawls appointed by the Counts.

The site, which has now disappeared, was a key point for the control of the Rhône and the trade routes between Geneva and Lyon. Its decline reflects political changes after Savoyard annexation. Archives (chestellenia accounts, inventories) and archaeological works remain the main sources of its history.

The Vuache toponym illustrates the local linguistic evolution: first linked to the seigneury, he then designated the mountain. The modern castle of Faramaz, built nearby, also bore this name, creating historical confusion documented by researchers such as Pierre Duparc or Frédéric Raynaud.

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