Château du Bijou

En un regard

Le château en bref

The Château du Bijou stands at the locality known as “le Bijou”, south of the village of Chomérac, in the Ardèche. Its construction is generally dated to around 1751, on the initiative of the Marquis de Gerlande, who is said to have had it built for his wife, the daughter of Doctor Bouvier; this dating is, however, disputed by a local history source that places the building in the 17th century, and the question remains unresolved. The main building, rectangular in plan, has three levels and is flanked by four crenellated corner towers added in the early 19th century. Its roof was raised with a mansard around 1880. The property belonged successively to the Gerlande family, then to the Rochefort and Barrès du Mollard families, before passing to the Count of Sampigny and then to the Chabert family, silk industrialists. The château is now operated as tourist accommodation, offering guest rooms and holiday cottages (gîtes).