White House Fort House à Saint-Didier-de-la-Tour dans l'Isère

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Origin and history

The White House, located in Saint-Didier-de-la-Tour in Isère, is a historical monument whose origins date back at least to the fourteenth century, as evidenced by its appearance in a count of 1350 when the Dauphiné joined the Kingdom of France. Originally built to defend itself against Savoyard incursions, it now consists of a two-storey house covered with a "dolphin" roof, flanked by a corner tower, and a large body of commons organized in square. These buildings, marked by recompositions in the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, still house medieval elements such as 15th century chestnut ceilings or 16th century terracotta floors.

In the 15th century, the strong house played a defensive role in a context of border tensions with Savoy. The architectural traces, such as the moat now covered by a pond or the vestiges of an external wall (of which the dovecote is part), recall this initial vocation. The carved gate of the façade, added in the seventeenth century, as well as the beautification works carried out by the Boissac family at the same time, illustrate its evolution towards a more residential country house. The communes, on the other hand, combine agricultural equipment (furnace, press, stables) and testify to the economic activity linked to the estate.

The written sources mention the house as property of Gilles and Jean de Ruins in 1540, then of the family of Boissac in the seventeenth century, which makes interior and exterior arrangements there. In the 19th century, the monument changed hands several times, leading to changes such as the replacement of carpentry. Despite these transformations, original elements remain, such as the right ramp staircase of the 17th century, kitchen kitchen gardens, or decors painted under the roof of the house. Filed entirely (logis, pigeonnier et communs) by order in 2025, the strong house embodies both the Dauphinian military heritage and the adaptation of seigneurial residences to later times.

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