In the Middle Ages, the village of Chalencon, located one kilometre north-east of the village of Saint-André-de-Chalencon, in the Ance Valley of Haute-Loire, was an important place of passage between Velay and Forez. So naturally, a mighty fortress was built there in the 10th century in order to ensure control of this crossing point.
Some fine remains of this castle perched on the top of a rocky peak can still be seen today: a quadrangular enclosure, a crenellated keep, two corner turrets and a Romanesque seigneurial chapel. All this overlooks the charming medieval village, forming a picturesque site in a lush, green setting, just the place for a nice, peaceful stroll. A listed Historical Monument owned by the De Polignac family, the feudal castle offers a remarkable panoramic view of the Ance Gorges! Below, you can see the picturesque 12th-century Devil's Bridge (Pont du Diable), which was once a toll bridge across the Ance connecting Chalencon to Retournac.
The castle of Chalencon is located on the hamlet of the same name, north of the village of Saint-André-de-Chalencon, in Haute-Loire, 40 km north of Puy-en-Velay.
It was built on the foundations of an ancient Roman castrum from the twelfth century on a peak overlooking the course of Ance and was for many centuries the cradle of the powerful family of Chalencon. The site was abandoned in the seventeenth century and remains only a dungeon shaped round tower crenellated, restored in the nineteenth, turrets angles and three esplanades storied.
These remains were registered in the inventory of historic monuments in 1913.
In the immediate vicinity, remain an old chapel castrale which served as parish church, remodeled in the seventeenth century, and a bridge of the thirteenth which spans the Ance, allowing access to the castle. A right of way was to be paid in the Middle Ages. Below the castle, a 13th century building called the "prefecture" housed a court of justice. These three constructions related to the castle are also protected.
The castle is still a private property but it is run by an association. The whole of this old medieval fortress, at 650 m altitude, from which one enjoys views of the gorges of Ance and the village of Saint-André can be visited every day in July and August and by appointment you the rest of the year. Price: 1 and 3 euros. Information on +33 4 71 58 41 50 or +33 4 71 58 49 93.
