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Origin and history

The fort house of Gimilieu, also known as château de Gémillieu, is a 13th century building located in the commune of Saint-Jean-de-Chevelu, Savoie. It stands on a nipple west of Prelian, on an ancient Gaulish salt road, alongside other nearby castles such as Bergin or Monthoux. This strategic site made it an important point of control for trade and local defence.

In the 13th century, the strong house belonged to the family of Gimilieu. Amédée de Gimilieu was mentioned in 1249 in a donation by Count Amédée IV de Savoie to the Priory of Bourget. In 1266 he appeared as a witness in an act in Yenne. Around 1340, Petremand de Gimilieu, lord of the place, enlarged his fief by acquiring the lands of Berlion de Chevelu. The line continued until the 15th century, when the castle passed to the Rossillons, a noble family from Belley, through the marriage of Catherine de Gimilieu with Jacques de Rossillon in 1419.

The Rossillons retained the seigneury for centuries. In 1452 Jacques de Rossillon married Louise d'Orlyé, strengthening local alliances. In the 17th century, Caesar de Rossillon, lord of Gimilieu, participated in 1675 in the advent of Victor-Amédée II de Savoie. However, in the 18th century, the strong house declined: an inventory of 1731 revealed that it was more than a modest farm, with poor furniture. After the Revolution, the fief passed to the Counts of Chambost of Lépin, then was acquired by Mr Abry in 1907.

Architecturally, the strong house preserves 12th-century Romanesque elements, like three openings (including a géminée). The quadrangular courtyard is accessible by a curved porch, surrounded by an ancient square tower and commons. The house, served by a staircase under a turret, has traces of a missing scallop. The walls, cracked with sand, contrast with the white stone corner links, typical of Savoyard buildings.

The site is part of a network of strong houses and castles controlling the commercial and military axes of the region. Its history reflects local feudal dynamics, marked by matrimonial alliances, hereditary transmissions and the gradual decline of seigneuries in the modern era. Today it bears witness to the medieval defensive heritage of Savoy.

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