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Origin and history

La maison fort de Villon is a 14th century medieval building located in the commune of Villeneuve in the department of Ain, in the region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. It was the heart of the seigneury of Villion, mentioned from the twelfth century under the name Olim Vilion. This monument, classified as historical monuments by order of 16 October 1992, stands approximately 5 km north of Villeneuve, facing a pond. Its architecture reflects the characteristics of the strong houses, typical of the seigneurial fortifications of this time.

The seigneury of Villion was initially owned by a noble family bearing this name, as evidenced by historical figures such as Arthur de Villion (1150) or Gui de Villion, a knight cited between 1263 and 1274. Over the centuries, the property changed hands several times: it passed to the Lyareins (1490), then to the Saint-Trivier by the marriage of Jeanne de la Teyssonnière (1530). In 1606, the estate was awarded to Louis Austrein, before being integrated into the Barony of Flécheres in the 18th century. The castle was particularly stormed in 1378 by Amédée VII de Savoie, marking a violent episode of its history.

In the 17th century, the fortified house still housed a chapel, with an annuity of 50 pounds to finance three annual Masses, celebrated by the parish priest of Agneins, on which Villion depended. This detail illustrates the religious and social role of these buildings in local life. Today, the strong house of Villon remains a preserved example of the architectural and seigneurial heritage of the Dombes, an area marked by a dense concentration of medieval castles and strong houses.

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