Château d'Yvoire, Yvoire, France

Built from 1306 during the village fortification by the Comte de Savoie Amédée V, Yvoire castle had a military goal to watch the navigation and control the road which linked Geneva to the high valley of the Rhône and to Italy.

For several centuries, the village of Yvoire was in the center of several strategic or religious wars between France, Bern, Geneva as well as the houses of Faucigny, Dauphiné and Savoie.

In 1591, a fire devastated the building which only found its shape back in the 20th century, when Félix Bouvier of Yvoire undertook several internal and external renovation works, like the roof and the watch towers setting in 1939.

References:

yvoire-france.com

User Reviews

Joanna Simpson (3 years ago)
We stopped on our way to Annecy and I must say it was a beautiful experience. Spent there about 4 hours wondering around, the 5 sense s garden is a must see when visiting

Erwin Salosagcol (3 years ago)
Quaint chateau by the lake, truly a fairy tale experience not to be missed. It wasn't over the top, and a great example of a medieval chateau. In this small village, the vibe of the local castle truly captures the magic of this hamlet.

Ross Heaney (5 years ago)
Lovely medieval castle on the French side of Lake Geneva. Some lovely spots to take pictures. Can be quite touristy in Yvoire but worth a wander.

Shawn Zents (6 years ago)
What an amazing, very walkable town. Very friendly locals, beautiful shops, and food is incredible. I miss it already!

Melissa Warren-Garcia (6 years ago)
Very charming, even in winter. A lot of shops and restaurants were closed due to it being low season, but we had a nice stroll along the lake side and port.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright discopalace

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Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.

Château d'Yvoire

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