Essalois Castle

Essalois Castle, locally known as Château d'Essalois, lies in the hamlet of the same name, a part of the village of Chambles in the Loire department in France.

Although the earliest written references to Essalois date from the 14th century, the site is much older than the current castle. Archaeological evidence shows occupation in ancient times, and the spur behind the castle was the site of an important Gallic oppidum linked to the Segusiavi tribe.

The hill of Essalois appears in charters from 1337 onward, and in 1378 Arthaud de Villedieu paid homage to the Count of Forez for the house and tower of Essalois overlooking the Loire River. In 1464, the tower belonged to Béraud de la Bâtie. The remains of this earliest medieval structure have not been definitively identified.

The castle, in its current general form, was mostly built around 1580 by Léonard de Bertrand, Lord of Essalois and Master of Waters and Forests at Montbrison. In 1590, it was looted by Ligue forces led by Honoré d’Urfé during the French Wars of Religion. Throughout the 17th century, the lordship changed hands among other noble owners and was sold in 1671 to the Camaldolese monks of Val Jésus, who kept it until the Revolution. By the late 18th century, it was described as an old fortified house with two towers, residential buildings, farm structures, stables, and large surrounding land.

By the end of the 19th century, the castle had fallen into ruin. It was then bought and restored by Hippolyte de Sauzéa of Saint-Étienne. Since 1976, the site has belonged to the Syndicat Mixte d’Aménagement des Gorges de la Loire, and restoration has continued since 1983.

Built on a prominent spur, the castle offers wide views of the Loire gorges, the Forez plain, the Grangent dam and reservoir, and the island in the reservoir with Grangent Castle.

Currently, Essalois Castle is home to the Loire Gorges Interpretation Centre, and access is free. It's about a 10-minute walk from the parking lot to reach it. A really nice castle. The Chambles Tower is nearby.

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