Château de Bagnols

The origins of the Château de Bagnols date back to the early 13th century. Between 1217 and 1221, Guichard d'Oingt, a co-lord of Châtillon, had the first fortress built. Through marriage, the property passed to the d'Albon family in 1288. In 1362, Thibaud d'Albon transferred the castle to the Archbishop and Chapter of Lyon. In the mid-15th century, after the marriage of Jeanne d'Albon to Rauffet de Balsac, the Château came into the possession of the Balzac family, who undertook extensive renovations. King Charles VIII was a guest at the castle in 1490. In the 16th century, the merchant Jean Camus acquired the estate, and his family added further defensive structures. Under Gaspard Dugué, who moved into the castle in 1619, it was transformed into a comfortable residence. Later, in 1673, François Dugué hosted Madame de Sévigné. In the 18th century, ownership changed hands several times, including Joseph Barthélemy Hessler, who renovated roofs, and Jean-Baptiste Croppet de Varissan. After the French Revolution, Claude-Marie Chavanis acquired the castle in 1796 and added Empire decorations. In the 20th century, the Château experienced a period of decline before being acquired by Paul Hamlyn in the 1980s and transformed into a luxury hotel by his wife Helen Guest.

The Château de Bagnols is located in the commune of Bagnols in the Rhône department in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. It is situated at an altitude of approximately 399 meters above sea level.

The Château de Bagnols is privately owned and now houses a luxury hotel. The complex is characterized by a pentagonal curtain wall with four residential buildings and five round towers. Inside, frescoes and a monumental fireplace in the guardroom can be discovered. The outbuildings, bridges over the dry moats, and garden pavilions date from the 16th century. The actual garden and a terrace are preserved from the 13th century.

• Château de Rapetour (castle), approx. 2.4 km away
• Château de Rochebonne (castle), approx. 2.8 km away
• Château de Jarnioux (castle), approx. 5.5 km away
• Château des Bassieux (château), approx. 7.6 km away