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Origin and history

The poype of Saint-Cyr-sur-Menthon is a castral motte, or fortification of land, built in the 10th century on the commune of Saint-Cyr-sur-Menthon, in the department of Ain. This type of structure, typical of the Middle Ages, served both as a symbol of power for the small local aristocracy and as a territorial control point. The moth, which was 9 metres high with a diameter of 40 metres at its base, was surrounded by a lowyard extending over several thousand square metres, reflecting its strategic and economic importance in a period marked by clearing and expansion of arable land.

The first written mention of this poype dates back to 1272, when it was held by a vassal of the Counts of Savoie. Archaeological excavations and studies attest to a continuous occupation between the late 11th and 13th centuries. This monument is part of a regional context where local lords sought to assert their domination while participating in landscape transformation, gradually replacing forests with exploitable agricultural areas.

In addition to the main poype, the municipality housed other similar structures, such as the Travernay Poype, also called the Bishop's Tower, built in the 15th century at the request of Jean de Macet, then Bishop of Macon. Two other poypes, those of Conflens (XIVth century) and Tournaz (cited in 1272), are mentioned in medieval texts, but their exact location remains unknown today, illustrating the density and complexity of the seigneurial network of the period.

Travernay's poype is distinguished by its particular history: initially a seigneurial tower, it was partially destroyed to fill its own ditches, altering its original appearance. These remains, although less visible today, recall the importance of local conflicts and alliances between religious and secular powers. Poypes, as key elements of the medieval landscape, thus embody the political, social and economic dynamics that shaped the region for centuries.

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