Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Lods Castle is an ancient fortified house built between the 13th and 15th centuries on the town of Lods, in the Doubs department. Located on the edge of the village, it was built by the lords of Thoraise to monitor the salt road, a strategic axis in Franche-Comté. Its location below the Loue River strengthened its defensive and economic role, linked to the salt trade, a major resource of medieval times.

Over the centuries, the castle frequently changed owners, passing into the hands of influential families such as the Counts of Montbéliard, the lords of Montfaucon, or Jacques de Thoraise. In the 16th century, Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle and his son, Cardinal Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, became owners and modernized the house, adapting architecture to Renaissance standards. These transformations marked an evolution from the medieval strong house to a more comfortable residence, while retaining defensive elements such as fire burns.

The castle is distinguished by its square plan, with two floors housing vaulted rooms, a chapel, latrines and a "French" ceiling. The exterior courtyard, supported by a wall, preserves the corbellation of a turret, vestige of its medieval past. Ranked Historic Monument in 2003, the site also protects the surrounding archaeological soils, demonstrating its heritage importance. Today, it illustrates the architectural evolution of the fortified houses in Franche-Comté, between military function and seigneurial residence.

Its inscription in the title of historical monuments on 20 November 2003 covers the entire house, as well as the terrace, retaining walls and archaeological remains of adjacent plots. These protections highlight the historic value of the site, both for its architecture and its role in local history, linked to the control of trade routes and the presence of noble regional families.

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