Maison forte de l'Izérable, Fortified house in Morancé, France.

Maison forte de l'Izérable is a moated fortified house whose buildings form a quadrilateral around a farm courtyard. A round tower stands at the northeast corner, and the southwest dwelling has mullioned windows. Small round openings pierce the attic walls, and only the bridge that once crossed the moat survives from the original entrance.

The house began as a fortified residence in the 13th century and first appeared in documents in 1262 when its owner pledged loyalty to the Abbot of Ainay. It served noble families for centuries as both a dwelling and a point of defense in the region.

The Chaponay family, whose arms show three gold cocks and whose motto reads "Gallo, canente spes redit", held the fief from 1680 into the 19th century. Pierre Anne de Chaponay-Morancé (1754-1832) served as first page to the Countess of Artois, then as lieutenant-colonel of cavalry. The Dugué family, owners in the 17th century, gave a treasurer of France, Gaspard Dugué, who also held the château de Bagnols.

The property sits east of Morancé village and is accessible via local roads through the countryside. It is advisable to check access conditions before visiting, as the site remains in private hands.

Of the imposing 13th-century entrance, only the bridge that spanned the moat survives. The round tower at the northeast corner of the farm courtyard, built of the same light-gray and tan stone, is topped by a conical red-tiled roof with a cross.