Château de Sallenôves, Medieval castle in Marlioz, France

Château de Sallenôves is a former fortified house on a rocky spur at 400 metres altitude above the confluence of the Petites and Grandes Usses. Its vast enclosure ends in steep slopes on all sides except the east, where a double line of dry moats cut into the rock, now filled in, once defended it. The main gate, topped with the Sallenove coat of arms and flanked by a gun port, leads to a courtyard with two large lodgings and the square Tour Salle and Tour du Carré. The ruined Tour de César, the oldest part, has only its south and west faces left.

The fortress was built in the 12th century to control passage along a key trade route connecting Geneva and Seyssel through the Genevese territories. This strategic position gave the structure importance as a military checkpoint during the medieval period.

The entrance gate bears the Sallenove coat of arms above it and is covered by a gun port. Inside, a Gothic gallery leads to a vaulted chapel dedicated to Saint Catherine, opening directly onto the private apartments. The two square towers are named the Tour salle and the Tour du carré.

The property remains privately owned, so visitors can only explore the exterior and its defensive structures from outside the perimeter. Plan your visit during clear weather to fully appreciate the landscape views and the building's position on the hilltop.

The castle is one of the few in Haute-Savoie said to be haunted. A room called the "Chambre du Diable" is described as haunted by a spectre in the form of an armed, caparisoned horse, foaming, that vanished at the last stroke of midnight.