Château de Miolans

The Fortress of Miolans (French: Château de Miolans) is a former fortress prison located in a remote area of Savoy in France. The site, which has been occupied since the fourth century AD, strategically controlled the route across the junction of the Isere and Arc rivers. The fortress was converted into a prison by the Counts of Savoy in the mid-16th century. Its notoriety led it to be compared to the Bastille in Paris.

Early history

In 1014, documents mention that the Miolans family - one of the oldest in Savoy - were in possession of the site. By 1083, the Miolans had built a small tower castle on the rocky promontory. In the second half of the 14th century, the lords of Miolans extended the fortifications by completing a second tower. This had been supplemented with a third tower in the early 16th century.

Prison

Following the repatriation of the Lords of Miolans in 1523, ownership of the castle passed to the Counts of Savoy. Count Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy transformed the fortress into a prison, a role it would retain until 1792. In its time as a prison, more than 200 prisoners were housed at Miolins.

The castle became known as the Bastille tilt (Bastille of the Alps). Its dungeons were called Hell, Purgatory, Paradise, Treasury, and little and great hope. All prisoners were released following the French Revolution. The fortress prison was abandoned and allowed to fall into ruin as a symbol of the Ancien Régime.

In 1869, Eugene Alexander Guiter, Prefect of Savoy, privately bought the fortress from the French state and began its restoration. Castle Miolans was classified as a historical monument in May 1944.

Today the castle remains a private property but is open to visitors.

Address
Rue sous les Remparts 40, Saint-Pierre-d'Albigny, France

Established
14th century