Rochecardon Castle is located on the town of Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'Or, in the north of the Lyon conurbation.
It is a Renaissance-style mansion built in its current form in the 16th and 17th centuries for the benefit of Horace Cardon (1566-1641), a wealthy Italian-born printer based in Lyon.
There already existed in this place a building surrounded by a park in a famous natural setting, called "La Roche de Vaise", at the confluence of two rivers. Having become lord of the place in 1605, the new owner renamed the castle "de Rochecardon".
Works commissioned by Cardon, in addition to the Renaissance decor, include a hexagonal tower, mullioned windows, a chapel and frescoes inside. The vast outdoor area was also remodeled, including woods, mills and vineyards. But the ornaments (statues, fountains and fountains) have disappeared.
The castle was famous for the trips that Jean-Jacques Rousseau made there in 1768 and 1770. Then passionate about botany, he wrote part of his "Confessions".
Several families have owned the castle and park. It is still today a private property that can not be visited but can be admired from outside on a hike.
Information on +33 4 72 56 70 40.
