1060 marked the entry of the castle of Thorens into the history of Savoy. This fief then came under the authority of the Count of Geneva, on whose authority the first fortifications were built on this site. Over time, several families owned the castle of Thorens.
Read the history of the castle of Thorens
During the 15th century, the powerful and fearsome Lords of Compey, struck by opprobrium, had to give way to the House of Savoy. Almost immediately, the castle was taken over by another princely family allied to the House of Savoy: the princes of Luxembourg-Martigues.
At the dawn of the 17th century, Saint François de Sales (1567-1622) acquired the castle. From that time on, the Château de Thorens took on the appearance of a palace. However, the Marquis de Sales were kind enough to preserve, in stone, the memory of past centuries.
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However, the revolutionary storm, which came from France in 1792, left deep scars that could not be healed until the middle of the 19th century, when the Château de Thorens regained its charm and elegance. This exceptional heritage continued to be transmitted from generation to generation.
In 1960, Count Jean-François de Roussy de Sales opened the castle to the public by offering guided tours. He was aware that the wealth of his family's collections and the major historical interest of the château de Thorens deserved to be known by as many people as possible.
Following a series of renovations, the castle has reopened its doors to the public to reveal to those who will cross its thousand-year-old drawbridge the history of this residence intimately linked to the very rich hours of Savoy, but also to those of France.
