The castle of Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne is located in the town of the same name, in the department of Ain, 27 km northeast of Villefranche-sur-Saône.
Its remains are located on a hillside which was converted into a castle mound, to the south-west of the town centre, and dominate the course of the Chalaronne.
It was built from the 11th century by Hugues de Châtillon, who counted among his descendants, Milo de Châtillon, Bérard, bishop of Mâcon and Humbert, knight, who went on a crusade in the Holy Land.
Presented in the form of a polygonal fortress, the castle passes in 1272 to the Counts of Savoy who appreciate its strategic location and take advantage of its large rooms to hold receptions there.
Seat of a chief town of Bresse, the castle whose defensive elements were perfected over the centuries was embellished in the 15th century for residential purposes.
However, in 1598, when Henri IV declared war on Savoy, Bresse was invaded and the castle of Châtillon ended up being razed and partly dismantled.
Nowadays, only elements of the enclosure remain visible with its pointed entrance door and the bases of four of the seven towers that the fortress originally had. After security works and the partial rehabilitation of the towers, the site has become a sort of belvedere from which you can admire the historic heart of the city. In addition, a lawn has been laid out within the enclosure and a pedestrian path allows you to walk around the castle. In season, shows are scheduled on site.
Listed in the Inventory, the remains of the "old castle", as it is nicknamed locally, remain essential during a stopover in this city with a rich past, between Dombes, Burgundy and Greater Lyon. Information on +33 4 74 55 04 33.
