Photo : Wisi eu / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Château de Virieu
The château de Virieu overlooks the Bourbre valley, at Val-de-Virieu, in the north of the Isère. The building was born from a simple castral motte in the early eleventh century, replaced shortly after by a masonry construction. It passed in 1220, by marriage, to the House of Clermont, which kept it for seven generations. Louis XIII stayed there in 1622; six field guns he is said to have left are still visible in the court of honour.
After a major restoration between 1924 and 1928, the château, protected as a historic monument, remains remarkable for its military character and its French-style gardens.
The guided visit lasts about an hour and leads notably to the Louis XIII room, the medieval kitchen, the chapel and the funnel-vaulted keep. Fun visits of about forty-five minutes are offered to children from three to ten, by booking.
