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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Belmont Castle, also known as Belmont Fort House, is a 13th-century medieval building, deeply transformed in the 16th and 17th centuries. Located in the municipality of Belmont in the Isère department, it embodies a typical example of Dauphinian architecture, with its cubic structure surmounted by a four-paned roof. The monument was first mentioned in 1293, and its subsequent changes did not alter its historical character. It is surrounded by a farm and preserves notable architectural elements, such as a French ceiling decorated with plant motifs, palmettes and shells in the northeast room.

The castle is associated with the Vachon de Belmont family, which made it one of its fiefs. This line has marked local history by providing several magistrates to the Parliament of Dauphiné in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as a Sulpician religious, François Vachon de Belmont, who became the second superior of the seminary of Montreal in Canada. Although private property and closed to the public, the castle exceptionally opened its exteriors during the Heritage Days in 2017, allowing to discover its history and architecture.

Listed for historical monuments by order of 16 March 1988, Belmont Castle is located about 200 metres east of the village of Belmont. The nearest train station, Châbons, is less than five kilometres away. Despite its status as a private residence, guided tours of the outsiders can be organized on certain dates, offering an overview of this preserved Dauphin heritage.

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