Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The château du Barriz is an ancient fortified house probably dating back to the 14th century. Located in the commune of Argonay, Haute-Savoie, it belonged to the younger branch of the Monthouz family, vassal of the Counts of Geneva. The site also includes the remains of a first castle, destroyed by fire according to local tradition, and whose ruins remain in a nearby wood. This first building would have been replaced by the current construction, erected before 1379 by Pierre de Monthouz.

The seigneury of Barriz included the parishes of Argonay (formerly Argonnex) and Saint Martin. In 1699, the Duke of Savoie Victor-Amédée II raised the Monthouz to the rank of Counts of Barrioz, Argonay and Saint Martin. The line died in 1869, when the last heir bequeathed the castle to his nephew, Emmanuel Flocard de Mepieu. After his death in 1886, the estate passed to the Countess of Anières de Sales and in the 20th century to Billy's family.

Architecturally, the present castle presents itself as a massive square construction, covered with a four-sided roof, typical of Savoyard fortified houses. Two round towers, vestiges of the enclosure wall, frame the entrance porch leading to a courtyard bordered by the strong house and agricultural buildings. These elements illustrate its role both defensive and residential, characteristic of the rural fortifications of the region.

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