The Château de Flumet, also known locally as the Château des Faucigny, was a 12th-century fortified site located in the . Now disappeared, it stood above the commune of Flumet in the Savoie department, within the Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes region. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, it served as the seat of a châtellenie.

Location Flumet is located on the southern boundary of the seigneury of Faucigny, adjacent to the County of Savoy. The castle controlled access to the upper from the , particularly from the direction of Ugine. The castle or keep was constructed on a rocky hill overlooking the confluence of the Arly and the Arondine.

History The castle was likely constructed in the mid-12th century, shortly before the development of the fortified town, which is mentioned in the 1151 foundation charter of the . Under Baron , in the early 13th century, a fortified settlement formed around the site. The first known reference to the castle dates to 1228, when the town received a charter of liberties.

In the 13th century, the castle and seigneury were held by the lords of Faucigny before passing to the House of Savoy. Peter of Savoy married Agnès of Faucigny, the sole heiress of Baron Aymon II, in 1234. After Aymon II’s death in 1253, Pierre of Savoy reorganized the barony of Faucigny into several châtellenies.

Peter of Savoy had the castle strengthened prior to 1263, the year he inherited the comital throne of Savoy.

His daughter Beatrice subsequently inherited the title and the lands associated with the baronies of Faucigny and Beaufortain, including the Val d’Arly and the Château de Flumet, in accordance with her grandfather’s directives.

By the late 13th century, the castle served as the center of one of the nine châtellenies within the bailiwick of Faucigny.

In 1339, the Dauphin, then ruler of Faucigny, levied a toll at Flumet.

The castle had fallen into ruin by the 15th century. After a major fire struck the town of Flumet in June 1679, the inhabitants were authorized by Marie-Jeanne Baptiste, regent of the Duchy of Savoy, to reuse materials from the castle for reconstruction.

Description According to the “delphinal” inquiry of April 1339, the Château de Flumet consisted of a square central tower and a second tower positioned above the entrance. The complex was enclosed by a surrounding wall that included residential buildings. The fortification wall was higher on the Savoy-facing side to the southwest.

Châtellenie of Flumet

Organization The Château de Flumet served as the center of a châtellenie, or mandement, within Faucigny from the 13th century onward. By the late 12th century, Faucigny was organized into nine châtellenies, with Flumet listed in ninth position in the order of precedence according to the 1431 inventory of Faucigny’s titles, as later cited by Canon .

During the delphinal period, Faucigny was reorganized between 1342 and 1343 into fifteen châtellenies, one of which was Flumet.

After Faucigny became part of the domains of the —who also held the titles of baron of Faucigny and of Beaufort—the châtellenie of Flumet was reclassified as a vice-châtellenie and placed under the authority of the châtellenie of the Châtelet du Crédoz. +Villages, Parishes, and Fortifications of the Châtellenie of FlumetCommuneNameTypeDemi-QuartierChâtelard of Demi-Quartiersmall castleFlumetFlumetfortified castleFlumetfortified house of Riddesfortified castleFlumetTour des Bieuxfortified castleLa GiettazChâtelard of La Giettazsmall castleLa GiettazChâtelard of the Aravissmall castleNotre-Dame-de-BellecombeChâtellet of Notre-Dame-de-BellecombecastleNotre-Dame-de-BellecombeChâtellet of Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombesmall castlePraz-sur-ArlyChâteau of Praz-sur-Arlycastle During the early 14th century, the barony of Faucigny underwent another administrative reorganization, resulting in seventeen châtellenies.

In the 17th century, the arms of the mandement were described as three red pales on a gold field.

Châtelains In the County of Savoy, the châtelain was an appointed officer serving for a fixed, revocable term. His duties included administering the châtellenie, collecting its fiscal revenues, and overseeing the maintenance of the castle.

In a 1988 presentation at the 32nd Congress of the Learned Societies of Savoy, Bernard Ducretet discussed the functions of châtelains, drawing on Étienne Dullin’s 1911 thesis Les châtelains dans les domaines de la Maison de Savoie en deçà des Alpes. He noted that until the mid-16th century, these officers acted as intermediaries between the local communities of their châtellenie and the prince’s court, regularly reporting on administration and conveying the population’s requests and grievances.

From its integration into the Savoyard domain in 1355, the châtelain’s military role declined. The office, once a personal responsibility, became a hereditary position, with day-to-day administration managed by a lieutenant. The châtellenie was later incorporated into the apanage of Genevois (1514–1659), which included Faucigny and the barony of Beaufort. +Châtelains of Flumet, 13th to 16th CenturyFaucigny, Dauphiné, and French Administration 1283–1286: Obert (Ubert) de Bardonnèche, also châtelain of Sallanches 16 April 1294 – 16 August 1295: Obert (Ubert) de Bardonnèche 2 August 1314 – February 1315: Pierre des Granges (Desgranges) 1321: Humbert de Cholex, also of and Bonne 1337: Arthaud IV de Beaumont, bailiff of Faucigny, also châtelain of Beaufort and Bonne

Savoyard Administration

21 July 1355 – 15 June 1357: Jean du Molard 23 June 1357 – 15 February 1361: Jorgin de Plozasq 15 February 1361 – 15 May 1362: Heirs of Jorgin de Plozasq 15 May 1362 – November 1374 (also receiver for the periods 15 May 1362 – 27 January 1364, 8 February 1367 – 1 February 1368, 21 January 1372 – 1 March 1373): Jacquemet 6 November 1374 – 19 January 1385 (also receiver for the period 4 April 1380 – 15 February 1381): Rolet de la Croix 19 January 1385 – 1 December 1385: Rodolphe de la Croix 7 December 1385 – 5 March 1392 (also receiver for the period 15 February 1390 – 16 March 1391): Jean de Conflans 26 June 1392 – 5 May 1394: Pierre Pugin 5 May 1394 – 8 June 1408 (also receiver for the period May 1401 – 28 March 1402): Viffrey de la Croix 1 December 1406 – 8 June 1410: Humbert de Melaz 8 June 1410 – 24 June 1416: Étienne Boudry de Bonne 24 June 1416 – 24 June 1417 (also receivers for the period): Pierre Duchesne and Pierre de Menthon, co-châtelains 24 June 1417 – 24 June 1419: Pierre de 24 June 1419 – 26 March 1437 (also receiver for the periods 24 June 1425 – 24 June 1426 and 26 March 1434 – 26 March 1435): Robert , Robert I de 26 March 1437 – 26 March 1438 (also receiver for the period): Robert II de Montvagnard, son of the previous 26 March 1438 – 9 June 1441: Jean de Montvagnard, son of the previous 9 June 1441 – 26 March 1444: Hugues (Hugonin) Bertrand 26 March 1444 – 21 November 1450: Guillaume Bertrand, heirs of Hugues Bertrand 21 November 1450 – 26 March 1455: Guillaume de la Fléchière 27 September 1456 – 19 December 1465: Amédée (Ame) and Louis de la Fléchière, co-châtelains, sons and heirs of the previous 9 January 1466 – 8 January 1467: Jean de , also châtelain of Annecy (1455–1458), Ballaison and Beauregard (1461–1462), Flumet (1466–1467), (1452–1461, 1462–1467), and (1461–1462) 8 January 1467 – 26 March 1511 (also receiver for the periods 26 March 1472 – 26 March 1473, 26 March 1484 – 26 March 1485, 26 March 1493 – 26 March 1494, 5 October 1501 – 26 March 1502, and 26 March 1510 – 26 March 1511): Claude de Menthon, lord of Rochefort 26 March 1511 – 26 March 1530 (also receiver for the periods 26 March 1518 – 26 March 1519 and 26 March 1529 – 26 March 1530): Jean de Marnix

Administration of the Appanage of Genevois (1502–1659)

Châtelains and Revenue Farmers of the Mandement

1514–1515: Noble Jean Jorcin 1515–1516: Noble Pierre Boisson 1517–1518: Noble Jacques Breysaz 1519: Noble Georges Marin 1523–1524: Noble Jean Jorcin 1524: Noble Claude Jobert 1526–1529: Noble Gaspard de 1529–1532: Noble Pierre de Riddes 29 September 1534 – 29 September 1535: Georges de Riddes 1534–1537: Noble Jacques Gavet 1537–1539: Noble Jean de Riddes

Appointed (*) by the King of France (Occupation of the Duchy, 1536–1559)

29 September 1540 – 29 September 1541: Noble Jean André (*) 29 September 1541 – 29 September 1542/ 1543: Master or Noble Bernard Andam (*) 29 September 1543 – 29 September 1544/ 1544–1545: Noble Jean Ulliet (*) 1546: Master Pierre Marin 1547–1548: Noble Jean André 29 September 1550 – 29 September 1551: Jean Marin (*) 1552–1553: Nicolas Tavel (*) 1553–1556: Master Mermet Berthod 1555–1559: Noble Jacques de Bieu

Appointed by the Duke

1559–1563: Noble Jacques de Bieu 1565: Master Jean Ducrestet, châtelain for judicial matters 1565–1568: S Antoine Marin 1568–1571: Noble François André and Master Jean Ulliet 1571–1572: Noble Claude Daniel 1572–1577: Noble Claude de Bongain 1574–1577: Noble Jean-Jacques de Bongain 1577–1580: Noble François de Riddes 1580–1586: Noble Jean-François de Riddes 1586–1592: Noble Jacques Morel 1592–1598: Master Pierre Marin 1594–1598: Noble Aymé André 1598–1604: Master Raymond Crépin 1604–1610: Noble Jean-Jacques de Bongain 1604–1610: Master Georges Magdellain 1609–1610: Master Claude Riond 1610–1616: Master Claude Marin 1616–1622: Noble Jean-François de Riddes 1622–1628: Master Jean Magdellain 1628–1634: Master Claude Marin 1634–1640: Master Étienne Montfort 1640–1646: Master Nicolas Peyraud 1646–1652: Master François Bargin 1650–1656: Master Guillaume Grosset 1652–1654: Masters Pierre Joly and Pierre Voultier, co-farmers 1654–1658: Master Jean-Jacques Losserand called La Verdure 1658–1659: Noble Pierre-François de Riddes, with the farm of lods

See also

Medieval fortification Castle Fortification

Notes

References

Bibliography

Archival collections

External links