En un regard
Le château en bref
Overlooking the Lembronnais, this hilly region between Issoire and Brioude, the ruins of the Château de Chalus have occupied a fortified site for more than a thousand years. As early as the beginning of the 10th century, a motte castrale was raised there; then, in the 11th century, a square stone keep and a ring of curtain walls replaced the earthen and timber defences. The history of the seigneury is marked by a peculiarity: in 1290, the estate was divided between two distinct castles, one known as Apchon-les-Chalus, the other occupying the northern part of the site. It was not until 1609 that the Chalus family reunited the two halves. Less than sixty years later, financial difficulties forced them to give up the whole, which was sold in 1666 to Nicolas de Villers. Today, what remains of the castle is the square keep and sections of walls that hint at the scale of the stronghold. A private property, the site is open to visitors and offers a wide panorama over the surrounding countryside.