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Origin and history

Chantemerle Castle, also known as Château de La Bâthie or Saint-Didier, is an ancient 12th century castle, located on a rocky ridge overlooking the Isère valley. He served as a summer residence for the archbishops of Tarentaise and controlled access to the Tarentaise, between Tours-en-Savoie and Roche-Cevins. Its strategic location allowed to monitor the valley and regulate passages.

Built in the middle of the 13th century by Archbishop Rodolphe Grossi, the castle became the center of an archepiscopal chestnutry including Beaufort, Saint-Vital, and Cléry. This fortification was built in response to the growing tensions between the archbishops of Tarentaise and the Counts of Savoy, especially after the loss of control of Conflans. The structure, typical of medieval military architecture, included a cylindrical master tower and a polygonal enclosure.

In the 15th century, the castle underwent modifications to adapt to the progress of siege techniques, such as the transformation of murderers into windows and the destruction of mâchicoulis. These arrangements, made of bricks, contrast with the original materials. In 1423 and 1454, archbishops such as Jean V de Bertrand and Cardinal Jean d'Arces recognized the castle as a fief.

During the Revolution, the castle was declared national. Acquired by the Savoy Department in 1988, it was consolidated and lit up for the 1992 Olympic Winter Games. Today, its ruins, including a 22-metre circular dungeon and a square tower, bear witness to its past as a fortress and episcopal residence.

The remains also include houses, an irregular residence tower probably inhabited by the archbishops, and defensive elements such as archeries and a crenelated parapet. The Châtellenie de La Bâthie, organized around the castle, played a key role in the local administration under the authority of the archbishop-counts of Tarentaise.

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