Château de la Cour

Château de la Cour is a castle in Annecy-le-Vieux situated on a northern slope with a strong central square tower as its main structure. The layout centers on an inner courtyard reached through an eastern gate and surrounded by stone walls.

The castle first appears in records in the early 1400s as the property of the La Balme family, a branch of the powerful local Menthon clan. It remained in aristocratic hands over centuries, passing through various owning families.

The castle's name refers to its courtyard, a central square that shapes its layout and can be discovered by visitors walking the paved paths. This inner space represents how people once lived, with such open areas serving as meeting places and the heart of daily life.

The castle sits within a tree-filled park overlooking Lake Annecy and is easy to spot from outside the grounds. Since it remains a private property, visitors cannot enter the interior spaces but can view the exterior structures and walk around the park.

The southern facades display distinctive watchtowers and a crowned tower with defensive features, whose windows were modified over time as needs changed. These architectural details tell a story of how the fortress adapted, revealing layers of its long history.