Château de Chantemerle
Encyclopedia
The Château de Chantemerle is a ruined castle
in the commune
of La Bâthie
in the Savoie
département of France. It is also known locally as Château de Saint-Didier.
s destroyed. These alterations were made in brick.
Around 1263, the archbishop of Tarentaise decided to move the canons
to Moûtiers
. There, in what is now the sector of Albertville, a conflict erupted between the Count of Savoy and the archbishop around the rights of each to the sector of Cléry
. Thus, the archbishop, wanting to stamp his authority on this territory and considering himself threatened by the Count's advances, decided to build a castle at Bathie in the lower Tarentaise valley
, around which he completely reorganised a châtelain
. He also profited from this by joining Cléry to this new archepiscopal châtelain, for the benefit of the men and properties dependant on him.
enclosing a cylindrical keep
, 8.5 meters in diameter and 22m high. Constructed from stone rubble, it is divided into five floored levels. The top floor is the only one to be lit; the others are pierced by arrowslits in niches
. In a corner of the curtain wall
, slightly lower, is a second, square, tower. Habitable and measuring 8.5 m square, it is divided like the keep into five floored levels, lit by rectangular windows. Heavily thickened at the base, its walls are 22.8 m high and 1.55 m thick. Various buildings attached to the ramparts are spread around the courtyard.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of La Bâthie
La Bâthie
La Bâthie is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.-External links:*...
in the Savoie
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...
département of France. It is also known locally as Château de Saint-Didier.
Position
The castle is sited on the edge of a rocky crest, dominating the hamlet of Chantemerle and the Isère valley.History
The castle is known from documentary sources in 1196. It was rebuilt in the 13th century. In the 14th century, it was adapted for defence against fire arms with new entrances, arrowslits converted to windows, and machicolationMachicolation
A machicolation is a floor opening between the supporting corbels of a battlement, through which stones, or other objects, could be dropped on attackers at the base of a defensive wall. The design was developed in the Middle Ages when the Norman crusaders returned. A machicolated battlement...
s destroyed. These alterations were made in brick.
Around 1263, the archbishop of Tarentaise decided to move the canons
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
to Moûtiers
Moutiers
Moutiers and Les Moutiers is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:*Moutiers, in the Eure-et-Loir département*Moutiers, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département*Moutiers, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département...
. There, in what is now the sector of Albertville, a conflict erupted between the Count of Savoy and the archbishop around the rights of each to the sector of Cléry
Cléry
Cléry is the name or part of the name of the following communes in France:* Cléry, Côte-d'Or, in the Côte-d'Or department* Cléry, Savoie, in the Savoie department* Cléry-en-Vexin, in the Val-d'Oise department* Cléry-le-Grand, in the Meuse department...
. Thus, the archbishop, wanting to stamp his authority on this territory and considering himself threatened by the Count's advances, decided to build a castle at Bathie in the lower Tarentaise valley
Tarentaise Valley
The Tarentaise Valley is a valley of the Isère River in the heart of the French Alps, located in the Savoy region of France. The valley is named for the ancient town of Darantasia, the capital of the pre-Roman Centrones tribe.-Description:...
, around which he completely reorganised a châtelain
Châtelain
Châtelain was originally merely the French equivalent of the English castellan, i.e. the commander of a castle....
. He also profited from this by joining Cléry to this new archepiscopal châtelain, for the benefit of the men and properties dependant on him.
Description
The castle consists of a polygonal enceinteEnceinte
Enceinte , is a French term used technically in fortification for the inner ring of fortifications surrounding a town or a concentric castle....
enclosing a cylindrical keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
, 8.5 meters in diameter and 22m high. Constructed from stone rubble, it is divided into five floored levels. The top floor is the only one to be lit; the others are pierced by arrowslits in niches
Niche (architecture)
A niche in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse. Nero's Domus Aurea was the first semi-private dwelling that possessed rooms that were given richly varied floor plans, shaped with niches and exedras;...
. In a corner of the curtain wall
Curtain wall
A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, but merely keep out the weather. As the curtain wall is non-structural it can be made of a lightweight material reducing construction costs. When glass is used as the curtain wall, a great advantage is...
, slightly lower, is a second, square, tower. Habitable and measuring 8.5 m square, it is divided like the keep into five floored levels, lit by rectangular windows. Heavily thickened at the base, its walls are 22.8 m high and 1.55 m thick. Various buildings attached to the ramparts are spread around the courtyard.