Château de Chambonas

En un regard

Le château en bref

The Château de Chambonas is located in the commune of Chambonas, in the Ardèche department, on the banks of the Chassezac. The site was occupied from the 11th century by a tower, later incorporated into the successive buildings. A fortified house was built there in the 15th century, then reinforced in the 16th century, during the Wars of Religion, with the addition of towers and machicolations. The château first belonged to the bishopric of Uzès, then passed into the hands of the La Garde-Guérin family, before being held by the La Garde de Chambonas family until 1808. That year, Charles de La Garde de Chambonas ceded the estate to the Marquis de Chanaleilles, whose descendants kept it until around 1970. Major interior decoration work was carried out in the 18th century, giving several salons an Italian-style decor. The building has a quadrilateral plan arranged over five stepped terraces, flanked by five pepper-pot towers covered with glazed tiles. It is surrounded by a French formal garden, traditionally attributed to pupils of André Le Nôtre. The façades and roofs of the château were classified as monuments historiques by decree of 2 April 1963, while the park, the staircase and the salons were registered (inscrits) by decree of 16 September 1963. Privately owned, the château is not open to visitors, but can be seen from the Chambonas bridge and the village.