Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The fortified house of Vourles, located in the Rhône department, is attested as early as 1224, when the Parent family was lord of it. This site, occupied since Roman times, becomes a secondary residence for the Lyon elites. In 1539, the Parent sold the estate to Luxembourg de Gabiano, a bishop of Lyon, who made it his "house of fields" and commissioned exceptional painted decorations, including a celestial vault decorated with planets, signs of the zodiac and allegories, reflecting Protestant influences.

In the 17th century, the house passed to the Blauf, councillors on the senate floor of Lyon, before being confiscated in 1793 during the Revolution. His owner, Mr.Fourgon, was executed, but his daughter, Benoît Catherine Fourgon (wife of Jérôme de Valous, MP), recovered the property in 1798. The estate then changed hands several times: bought in 1830 by Paul Jaricot, a silk merchant, and then passed on to his descendants until 1956, when the Richard family created a company to manage it.

The building, composed of a house, a round tower with classified frescoes (2004), a chapel and a hexagonal staircase tower, was restored in the 19th century. Acquired by the municipality of Vourles in 1996, it now houses cultural events. The 16th century murals, attributed to Gabiano's Luxembourg, illustrate a complex iconographic program combining mythology, astrology and symbols of justice, reflecting Lyon's cultural influence during the Renaissance.

The commons, located below, complete this architectural ensemble that combines medieval defensive and residential functions. The painted piece, classified as a historical monument, is a rare example of secular decor in the Lyon region. The strong house thus embodies almost eight centuries of local history, marked by the political, artistic and social transformations of the region.

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