Château de Condrieu

Château de Condrieu is a castle ruin sitting on a rocky hilltop overlooking the right bank of the Rhône River. The surviving remains consist of fortified walls and medieval ramparts that once enclosed the entire fortification.

Archbishop Renaud de Forez constructed this fortress between 1193 and 1226 as a stronghold in the region. In 1330, troops from Vienne destroyed the site during a territorial conflict, ending its active use.

The circular keep, known as Tour Garon, displays 12th-century feudal architecture and once held prisoners from the region. You can still sense its former role as a fortress watching over the valley below.

The site sits on a rocky hill with some steep passages that require careful footing. You will find exposed stone remains scattered across the grounds, though amenities are quite limited at the location.

Ownership of this fortress was contested between the Counts of Forez and the Church of Lyon until a transaction in 1173 finally settled the dispute. This arrangement reveals how power and land were often shared between secular and religious rulers in medieval times.