Castle of Essalois

The Château of Essalois overhangs the Lac of Grangent, in the department of the the Loire in France.

History

; Site of old occupation:

The castle of Essalois is drawn up on a place which constitutes a strategic point naturally strengthened and inhabited by men since unmemorable times. The Gallic oppidum (occupied by Ségusiaves from -170 to -25) very important extended to 500m behind castle with the place says “the palate”. There remains about it of the walls drowned by the brooms. The setting at the day of amphoras and coins during the archaeological excavations carried out by Mr. Preynat revealed the existence of important commercial exchanges (wine) with Italy, former to the Roman occupation.

; Unknown origin ':

The oldest documents mentioning castle are 14th century. The puy of Essalois (Podium deysaluym, Mons deysaluym, then Juice of Pre) is quoted in the charters as from 1337.

In 1378, Arthaud de Villedieu pays homage to the Count of Drill for the house and the tower of Essalois which supervised the Loire.

In 1464 the tower of Essalois belonged to Beraud of Bâtie.

So far, the vestiges of this primitive construction could not be identified.

; Construction of the 16th century:

The castle such as it currently appears was built mainly in 1580 by Léonard de Bertrand, Seigneur of Essalois and Master of National Forestry Commission in Montbrison. In 1590, the castle was plundered by a troop of members of a league ordered by Honore d' Urfé.

The seigniory which extended on Chambles, Périgneux, Saint-Marcellin and Saint-Rambert passed to the 17th century to the lords of Sury-le-Comtal, Of Veuhe then by them in Sourdis.

In 1671, Catherine d' Entraigues, widow of Pierre Sourdis sold the seigniory to the Camaldules monks of the Valley Jesus. Camaldules kept the stronghold until 1798.

To the 18th century, sold like national good to Pierre Théollière of Réardière, it passes then successively to several owners. It is composed then of an old strong castle, consistent in two turns and body of building sheltering the granger, the farm buildings, the stables and all around wood, forests, meadows, rocks, heathers, of approximately 718 smallholdings. This inventory of 1791 and the reading of the plans of the statement makes it possible to at least distinguish in the superstructures two parts of which oldest is obviously the southern half which comprises the two round towers.

; At the 19th century, first restoration:

The castle is in ruin when it is bought towards the end of the 19th century by Hippolyte Sauzéa, merchant in Saint-Etienne which restores it and bequeaths it to the Old people's homes of Saint-Etienne. The frontages East and West carry obvious signs (joined vertical, resumption of masonry) which make it possible to delimit the two restoration campaigns. The brick works, cornice in génoise, blind arcades and oven walls of crenels are the marks of the 19th century. On the Western frontage the blazon of Hippolyte Sauzéa.

; Current time, continuation of the restoration:

In 1976, the Mixed trade-union of Installation of the gorges of the Loire (seven bordering communes of the Lake Grangent) and the department of the Loire acquire the castle of Essalois. The restoration continues since 1983 pennies the direction of Mr. Gilles Michelou, with the assistance of Mr. Lazar, architect of the Building industries of France.

The whole of the castle of Essalois has proud pace and constitutes by its volume and its position, one of the strong points of the landscape of the Gorges of the Loire. It symbolizes the action of the mixed trade-union of installation of the Gorges of the Loire. He visits himself freely, his tower offering a splendid sight on the landscape.

Sources

Panel of information on the site, quoting:
Jean-Paul Preynat, a high Celtique place Drill some: the oppidum of Essalois , 1992.
Emile Salmon, Château Drill of it , volume 1,1916.
Albert Boissier, Chambles, the illustrated area , 1934.

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