From Medieval Origins to the Renaissance
A History in Motion
A History of Power, Wars and the Renaissance
A strategic château on the banks of the Rhône... Overlooking the Rhône valley from its elevated terrace, Château de Peyraud has always been a coveted site. Rebuilt in the 18th century on much older foundations, it overlooks the river, once a source of wealth thanks to tolls and river trade.
Originally, it belonged to the de Peyraud family, a line of local lords whose arms were "azure with a silver cross". In the 14th century, the seigneury passed to the Roussillon family, powerful marquises of Annonay, before being sold in 1329 to Guillaume de Fay, bailiff of Velay and Vivarais.
A Tumultuous Past: Destruction and Reconstruction
The château was demolished several times over the centuries, mainly due to violent conflicts. In 1350, Aymar de Roussillon, Seigneur de Peyraud, went to war against the Church in Lyon. After imprisoning and torturing a knight (and pulling out a tooth!), the furious king ordered the castle's destruction.
In 1574, during the Wars of Religion, Protestant Baron François de Fay pillaged convoys on the Rhône. The Lyon seneschal laid siege to Peyraud, razed it to the ground with cannons, and the lord fled over the mountains. Some of the cannonballs were found a century later during reconstruction.
It wasn't until the 18th century that the château was rebuilt in a more elegant style by the Maquise de Saint-Priest, Jeanne-Marie de Fay, the last heiress of the de Fay family, who married a magistrate from Grenoble and brought Château de Peyraud a dowry sufficient to transform the château. She added French-style features such as wood panelling and marble fireplaces, while preserving the château's original character.
A castle steeped in history...
Today's château preserves traces of its many lives:
Medieval foundations: vaulted cellars and some thick walls are reminiscent of the original fortress.
Renaissance additions: mullioned windows, corner turrets and triangular pediment, typical of the 16th century.
Scars of history: cannonball holes (discovered during restoration work) and tombstones built into the walls after the destruction of 1574.
... an ideal setting for Galerie Atena's collection
In choosing Château de Peyraud as the location for Galerie Atena, we wanted to
- Pay homage to the past by restoring historic elements (original framework, painted decor, fireplaces, wallpaper...) with specialized craftsmen.
- Create a dialogue between eras: a piece of Louis XVI furniture displayed in a room with Renaissance-style walls takes on an almost symbolic dimension.
- Bring its legends to life and open the doors of the Château for corporate events (seminars, training courses, workshops, exhibitions, product launches...) or private events (candlelit dinners with a chef, cocktails in an exceptional setting, classical/jazz concerts and tailor-made events...).
Visit Château de Peyraud
By appointment only
