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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The tower of Montmayeur, located in Aime-la-Plagne (Savoie), is an ancient fortified house whose oldest elements date back to the 13th century. It was surrounded by a rectangular enclosure flanked by round towers, and its square dungeon, 19.30 meters high, dominates a quadrangular house. This dungeon, thick 2.40 meters, was equipped with mâchicoulis and snout, while major transformations in the 16th century added a staircase with screws and a body of rectangular houses. The tower commanded a toll bridge over Isère, playing a key role in defending the town.

The tower was first mentioned in 1392, when Claude de Montmayeur received infeodation, and then in 1447, when Humbert de Montmayeur and his brother Claude became lords. It was part of a defensive network including the tower of the Maney, a square tower on the other bank of the Ormente, and the round tower of Poëncet, all under the protection of the castle of Saint-Sigismund. Villette's family seems to have owned it before the Montmayeur.

In the 16th century, interior arrangements created a vaulted lower room and a room called the "pretoire", with a French-style ceiling. The materials used, such as the rolled rocks of the Isère drowned in a lime mortar, reflect local techniques. The tower, partially classified as a historic monument in 1983, preserves remains of its enclosure, including a round tower. Today, its heavy roofs, niches and roofs have been reconstructed, while its spiral staircase and openings date back to the late 15th or early 16th century.

Its strategic location, near the railway and rue de la Gare, highlights its historic importance as a point of control and collection of tolls. The sources also mention its connection to the possessions of Villette's family, although the details of this period remain fragmented.

The transformations of the 16th century, such as the addition of a round staircase tower and more openworked rooms, mark its evolution from a medieval fortress to a seigneurial residence. The elements protected since 1983 (donjon and house) bear witness to this dual vocation, both military and residential.

Finally, the tower of Montmayeur illustrates Savoyard military architecture, combining defensive functions and adaptations to seigneurial needs. Its history, linked to local noble families, makes it a witness to the political and social dynamics of the Tarentaise between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

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