Château Bayard
Encyclopedia
The Château Bayard is a castle
in the commune
of Pontcharra
in the département of Isère
(Rhône-Alpes
, France
), and dominates the valley of Grésivaudan
in the Dauphiné Alps
.
Château Bayard has been listed as a monument historique
by the French Ministry of Culture since 1915.
The castle has housed the Bayard museum since 1975; it presents the life and the myth of Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard
, the famous "knight without fear and without reproach", .
. In the feudal age, only a Lord could own a castle. Pierre Terrail, first of the name (the family is also called LeVieux - "the old") and great-grandfather of the renowned knight, was vice-lord of the lord of Avallon
.
Starting in 1404, Pierre Terrail undertook the construction of his residence in a place called Bayard, near Pontcharra. Even if it were only a strong house, the building he made was however far from being negligible: illustrations of the 19th century show a residence protected by four round towers, raised on three levels of mullioned windows.
The terrace gives on the valley of Grévisaudan and its marvellous viewt, opening on vast territories: Jura mountains
, those of Vercors plateau
, massif of Belledonne
and Chartreuse mountains
.
Pierre II, Pierre Terrail's son, took the title of Lord of Bayard. Consequently, the strong house took officially the name of castle.
After the death of Pierre II Terrail in 1465 in Montlhéry
, his son Aymon (1420-1496) took the title of Lord of Bayard and dwelt in the castle. Like his father and his grandfather, he devoted a good part of his life to fight on behalf of King of France.
The castle went then to Pierre III Terrail, his son, the famous knight of Bayard. He was undoubtedly born and passed his childhood in the castle, and occupied it when he was not campaigning, and in particular when he was named Lieutenant-General of the Dauphiné
and managed the province.
After the death of the knight, the castle passed to his brother Georges, then to Georges' daughter, Françoise Copier. She did not have any children and sold the castle and the titles in 1559 to the d’Avançon family. Then the property passed by marriage to the Simiane de Gordes (1581), then to the Simiane de la Coste, lords of Montbives (1677), and finally to the Noinvilles (1735).
Louis-Alphonse de Noinville, emigrant under the French Revolution
, was the last lord of Bayard. His assets were seized and sold in 1795. The castle was in ruins for a long time (probably since Françoise Copier). The stones were even used as building material for the houses of the neighbourhoods, in spite of the protests of some scholars from the Dauphiné.
In 1865, Jean-Baptiste Bertrand, a priest of Grignon
, arranged the remains of the castle as a residence for his retirement by repairing part of the masonry as well as possible, with the assistance of the legal owner.
.
The Château Bayard castle had turned to ruins after the Revolution. Restored since 1890, always privately owned, since 1975 two of its rooms house a museum recounting the history of the hero. The museum is animated by the "Association of the Friends of Bayard"; since 1938, this association sticks by its regular publications and its annual meetings to restore the historical veracity.
To the seigneurial home flanked with four towers was added a residence of three floors, of which only two remain and are currently occupied by the museum. The castle had suffered much damage during the French Wars of Religion
and the wars for the border between Dauphiné and Savoy
, then because of its abandonment during the Revolution.
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 Pontcharra
Pontcharra
Pontcharra is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.- See also :* Communes of the Isère department* Château Bayard* Avalon, France...
in the département of Isère
Isère
Isère is a department in the Rhône-Alpes region in the east of France named after the river Isère.- History :Isère is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Dauphiné...
(Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
), and dominates the valley of Grésivaudan
Grésivaudan
The Grésivaudan is a valley of the French Alps, situated mostly in the Isère. Etymologically, Graisivaudan comes from roots meaning "Grenoble" and "valley". It comprises the alluvial plain of the Isère River from Grenoble to the confluence of the Arc; or, more recently, the entire valley of the...
in the Dauphiné Alps
Dauphiné Alps
The Dauphiné Alps are a group of mountain ranges in southeastern France, west of the main chain of the Alps. They are separated from the Cottian Alps in the east by the Col du Galibier and the upper Durance valley; from the western Graian Alps in the north-east by the river Arc; from the lower...
.
Château Bayard has been listed as a monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
by the French Ministry of Culture since 1915.
The castle has housed the Bayard museum since 1975; it presents the life and the myth of Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard
Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard
Pierre Terrail LeVieux, seigneur de Bayard was a French soldier, generally known as the Chevalier de Bayard. Throughout the centuries since his death, he has been known as "the knight without fear and beyond reproach"...
, the famous "knight without fear and without reproach", .
History
Originally, the Château Bayard was just a fortified manor houseManor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
. In the feudal age, only a Lord could own a castle. Pierre Terrail, first of the name (the family is also called LeVieux - "the old") and great-grandfather of the renowned knight, was vice-lord of the lord of Avallon
Avallon
Avallon is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in center-eastern France.-Geography:Avallon is located 50 km south-southeast of Auxerre, served by a branch of the Paris-Lyon railway and by exit 22 of the A6 motorway...
.
Starting in 1404, Pierre Terrail undertook the construction of his residence in a place called Bayard, near Pontcharra. Even if it were only a strong house, the building he made was however far from being negligible: illustrations of the 19th century show a residence protected by four round towers, raised on three levels of mullioned windows.
The terrace gives on the valley of Grévisaudan and its marvellous viewt, opening on vast territories: Jura mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
, those of Vercors plateau
Vercors Plateau
The Vercors is a range of plateaux and mountains in the départements of Isère and Drôme in the French Prealps. It lies west of the Dauphiné Alps, from which it is separated by the rivers Drac and Isère...
, massif of Belledonne
Belledonne
Belledonne is a mountain range in the Dauphiné Alps in southeast France. The southern end of the range forms the eastern wall of the mountains that surround the city of Grenoble....
and Chartreuse mountains
Chartreuse Mountains
The Chartreuse Mountains is a mountain range in eastern France, stretching to the north from the city of Grenoble to the Lac du Bourget. It is the southernmost range in the Jura Mountains and belongs to the French Prealps....
.
Pierre II, Pierre Terrail's son, took the title of Lord of Bayard. Consequently, the strong house took officially the name of castle.
After the death of Pierre II Terrail in 1465 in Montlhéry
Montlhéry
Montlhéry is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located from Paris.Inhabitants of Montlhéry are known as Montlhériens.-History:...
, his son Aymon (1420-1496) took the title of Lord of Bayard and dwelt in the castle. Like his father and his grandfather, he devoted a good part of his life to fight on behalf of King of France.
The castle went then to Pierre III Terrail, his son, the famous knight of Bayard. He was undoubtedly born and passed his childhood in the castle, and occupied it when he was not campaigning, and in particular when he was named Lieutenant-General of the Dauphiné
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes....
and managed the province.
After the death of the knight, the castle passed to his brother Georges, then to Georges' daughter, Françoise Copier. She did not have any children and sold the castle and the titles in 1559 to the d’Avançon family. Then the property passed by marriage to the Simiane de Gordes (1581), then to the Simiane de la Coste, lords of Montbives (1677), and finally to the Noinvilles (1735).
Louis-Alphonse de Noinville, emigrant under the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, was the last lord of Bayard. His assets were seized and sold in 1795. The castle was in ruins for a long time (probably since Françoise Copier). The stones were even used as building material for the houses of the neighbourhoods, in spite of the protests of some scholars from the Dauphiné.
In 1865, Jean-Baptiste Bertrand, a priest of Grignon
Grignon, Savoie
Grignon is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France....
, arranged the remains of the castle as a residence for his retirement by repairing part of the masonry as well as possible, with the assistance of the legal owner.
Today
The castle now belongs to a local notaryCivil law notary
Civil-law notaries, or Latin notaries, are lawyers of noncontentious private civil law who draft, take, and record legal instruments for private parties, provide legal advice and give attendance in person, and are vested as public officers with the authentication power of the State...
.
The Château Bayard castle had turned to ruins after the Revolution. Restored since 1890, always privately owned, since 1975 two of its rooms house a museum recounting the history of the hero. The museum is animated by the "Association of the Friends of Bayard"; since 1938, this association sticks by its regular publications and its annual meetings to restore the historical veracity.
To the seigneurial home flanked with four towers was added a residence of three floors, of which only two remain and are currently occupied by the museum. The castle had suffered much damage during the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
and the wars for the border between Dauphiné and Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
, then because of its abandonment during the Revolution.