The castle of Rumilly was located in the town of Rumilly, in the department of Haute-Savoie, 20 km south-west of Annecy.
Its origin dates back to the 10th century, and together with the town it formed a major stronghold on the border between the county of Geneva (to which it belonged) and Savoy.
Moreover, installed on a promontory, bordered on three sides by steep cliffs at the bottom of which flowed two rivers, it controlled the road linking Geneva to Chambéry.
The history of the castle had its epilogue in 1630. The troops of King Louis XIII of France who invaded the Duchy of Savoy seized the towns of Chambéry then Annecy and then laid siege to Rumilly. The city has already on this date lost its strategic interest but the French do not want it to constitute a threat to their rear. After some procrastination, faced with 12,000 French soldiers, the Rumilians surrender. If the civilian dwellings are spared, the fortifications are dismantled and the castle will be razed. It will never be reconstructed.
The building consisted of a square keep, two round towers monitoring the waterways and two other towers. A dwelling had been fitted out in addition to the military buildings.
The site of the old castle can always enhance a walk in the city before or after visiting the museum which traces the history of the old stronghold. Information on +33 4 50 64 58 32.
