Castle of the Lords of Bâgé

En un regard

Le château en bref

The Castle of the Lords of Bâgé stands in Bâgé-le-Châtel, in the Ain department, on a feudal motte mentioned as early as the beginning of the 11th century. After the seigneury was attached to the House of Savoy in 1272, the building was rebuilt and fortified in stone from 1343 onwards: the great square tower was completed in 1355, bretèches were added in 1361–1362 and a round tower was built in 1364. Raised to a county in 1460 by Duke Louis of Savoy and then to a marquisate in 1575, the castle was besieged in 1595 by Marshal de Biron, a siege that partially damaged its fortifications. The present main residential building (corps de logis) has a façade rebuilt in the 19th century, while the east tower and its wrought-iron weathervane, remnants of the medieval fortifications, have been protected as historic monuments since 1929. Now privately owned, the castle retains traces of the old feudal motte in its park. Its interior is not open to visitors, but its wall walk can be explored during the tours of the fortified town of Bâgé-le-Châtel organised by the tourist office.