Château de Rochemaure ruins are located in the municipality of Rochemaure in the Ardèche department.The keep was built between 1120 and 1140. The manor house and the walls date only from the thirteenth century. The owners succeed: the Adhemar de Monteil, lords of Rochemaure until 1359, the Levis-Ventadour until 1694 the Rohan-Soubise until 1784, Garnier of Hières until 1912, the Massin Miraval up 'in 1974, when the castle was sold to the municipality for a symbolic franc. In 1598, the new governor Jacques Hilary prefers to build a new castle, the castle of Joviac. The castle was abandoned in 1630. In 1730, the owner, the Prince of Rohan Hercules sells the roof to cover a barn. The castle, accompanied by his two walls and tower of Guast are the subject of a classification as historical monuments since March 22, 1924.
http://www.frenchchateau.net/chateaux-of-rhone-alpes/chateau-de-rochemaure.html

Château de Rochemaure

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The Château des Adhémar is a castle, later converted to a Renaissance style château, in the French town of Montélimar in the Drôme département. It is located on a hill in the centre of the town.
History
Its origins are found in the 11th century when the first castle was built by the Count of Toulouse, the Duke of Narbonne. Little of this remains.
In the second half of the 12th century it became the property of the Adhémar de Monteil family, lords of Rochemaure, later lords of Grignan, then at the height of their power. The palace they built substantially exists today.
In the 14th century, it was taken by the papacy, joining the Pope's castles until 1447, when Montélimar was returned to the kingdom of France. The site of many armed conflicts, especially during the Wars of Religion, the castle suffered much damage and was transformed into a citadel, then back to a pleasant residence with the return of more peaceful times. In the 15th century it was used as a prison.
In the middle of the 16th century, Louis Adhémar rebuilt in the Renaissance style. During the French Revolution, the castle was partially destroyed.
The castle was a prison again between 1791 and 1926, a use which has meant that it remained practically intact.
Architecture
The château is considered to be one of the last examples of Romanesque castle architecture. having a fortified curtain wall, round walk, keep, a house and chapel, combining social, family, political and religious life in one. Only the Narbonne tower is outside the first wall, some metres to the north. Of the original 12th-century residential buildings, only the palace remains. There are three large rectangular rooms reached through a monumental doorway. The spectacular decoration of the lodgings is concentrated on the first floor gallery, with no fewer than nine semicircular arches with sculptured columns. This series of windows extends the full length of the building.
The keep has three floors. The austere architecture, with thick walls, reminds visitors of the castle's medieval origins.
The castle has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1889.
Contemporary art
The property of the Département de la Drôme since 1947, the Adhémar’s castle is a monument historique and, since 2000, a contemporary art centre. This centre works with artist projects linking both a high standard of proposals and a real firmly fixed territorial spot. The aim of the centre of contemporary art through the three castles of the Drôme general council (Adhémar at Montélimar, Grignan, Suze-la-Rousse) is to match contemporary creation and cultural heritage. Since its creation, about a fifty temporary exhibitions has been performed with renowned national artists, even international and younger ones.
Besides the contrast between medieval architecture and the various forms of present creation, the castle originality is expressed by the artists who have to keep in mind the important heritage of the place. Thus, each artist develops a strategy in their creation to emphasize, to refute, to express, to reveal or to conceal the powerful architectural presence of the Adhémar’s castle.
Exhibitions
2001 : André Morin, Alberto Giacometti, Ange Leccia, Laetitia Benat, Nicolas Delprat
2002 : Danielle Jacqui, Daniel Buren, Ivan Fayard, Patrick Tosani
2003 : Krijn de Koning, Felice Varini, Jean-Luc Moulène, Damien Beguet
2004 : Virginie Litzler, Alexandre Ovize, Nicolas Prache, Sarkis, Adam Adach, Stéphane Calais
2005 : Delphine Balley, Clare Langan, Christine Laquet, Stéphanie Nava, Tadashi Kawamata, Françoise Quardon, Pierre David
2006 : Alina Abramov, Armand Jalut, Aurélie Pétrel, Bernhard Rüdiger, David Renaud, Philippe Durand
2007 : Eoin Mc Hugh, Le Gentil Garçon, Marie-José Burki, Etienne Bossut
2008 : Cécile Hesse, Gaël Romier, Sophie Lautru, John Armleder, Lilian Bourgeat, Christine Rebet
2009 : Jean-Louis Elzéard, Magali Lefebvre, Sarah Duby, Xavier Veilhan, Jean-François Gavoty, Loris Cecchini, Yvan Salomone, Delphine Gigoux-Martin, Gilles Grand, Benjamin Seror
2010 : Julien Prévieux, Pierre Malphettes, Delphine Balley, Yan Pei Ming
2011 : Victoria Klotz, Ann Veronica Janssens, Betty Bui, Eric Rondepierre
2012 : Guillaume Bardet, Olga Kisseleva, Emmanuel Régent, Marie Hendriks
2013 : Mehdi Meddaci, Guillaume Bijl, Mat Collishaw, Glenda León

Château des Adhémar

Alba-la-Romaine is a commune in the Ardèche department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southern France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Albains or Albaines.
Geography
Alba-la-Romaine is located some 5 km west of Montelimar on a mountain ridge overlooking the Rhone river valley. The commune can be accessed on Highway N102 running west from Le Teil and through the northern part of the commune and continuing west to Saint-Jean-le-Centenier. Local Road D253 enters the commune from Sceautres in the north and runs south crossing the N102 before continuing to the village of Alba-la-Romaine and then continuing south to Valvigneres. Another district road the D107 commences from the village and goes south to Saint-Thome. There is an extensive network of small country roads throughout the commune.
There are extensive areas of farmland in the commune especially following the ridge line from north to south as well as steep mountain slopes. An extensive network of streams throughout the commune run into L'Escoutay river which runs south out of the commune then east to join the Rhone near Viviers. The western border of the commune is formed by the Ruisseau de Julieu. Le Rounei, and Le Ruisseau de Berg streams which flow into Le Salauzon stream which is part of the southern border of the commune before eventually joining L'Escoutay river.
There are a few villages and hamlets in the commune including: Les Baumes, Le Buis d'Alpes, La Roche, Saint-Philippe, and Le Pont. A metre-gauge railway line traverses the north of the commune but the nearest station is at Saint-Jean-le-Centenier.
There are also the remains of a Roman city and a medieval village in the commune.
Toponymy
Alba-la-Romaine town was founded in Roman times and bore the name Alba Helviorum ("Alba of the Helvii," an ancient Celtic people). It was the capital of the Helvii and became the episcopal see during the 4th century. From the Middle Ages until 1904, it bore the name Aps, the family name of the local proprietors.
The origin of the name Alba is not Latin as may be thought (in Latin albus meaning 'white') but pre-Celtic or Celtic.
The current name of the village was formalized on 30 May 1986. Previously the village had been called only Alba.
History
It has been assumed that when the city of Alba was founded at the beginning of the Roman Empire it was the successor, as often occurred in Gaul, of an earlier city. The existence of a protohistoric oppidum Chaulène on the plateau, northwest of Alba, is in fact likely. The assumption of a lowland habitat can also be used as the excavations to the west of the "St. Peter" site have yielded the remains of stone tools dating from the late third millennium. At the location of two "domus" south-east of the "home field Lauzun" site, a habitat was found of La Tène III (first century BC.) The discovery of imported ceramics of "Campanian type A" which debris was also collected in "Saint-Pierre" such as collars, handles, and lips of wine amphorae from Italy and some Allobrogian currency issued in the third quarter of the 1st century AD revealed a long term relationship with the Romans before the invasion. Other hill forts are known in the territory of Helviens such as Jastres North.
When Bituitos, the Chief of the Arverni people who were located beyond the Cevennes, was defeated in 121 BC by the Roman consul Quintus Fabius Maximus Allobrogicus, Alba was already the capital of the Helviens territory which corresponded approximately to the current department of the Ardeche. Their neighbours were Segusiavi: to the north-west the Vellaves Gabales and to the south Volques Arécomiques. Fabius Maximus managed to separate the Helviens the Allobroges and Arverni and draw them into alliance with Rome. They obtained the title of allies and friends of Rome and Julius Caesar observed, on his arrival in Gaul, that they were independent and had their own customs and administration. In 83 BC Cabur, the Chief of the helviens obtained Roman citizenship under the name of Gaius Valerius Caburus and his son Gaius Valerius Troucillus became a friend of Julius Caesar. The pro-Roman politics of the Helviens allowed Caesar to install his forces near the Arverni. After winning over the Helvie and its capital Alba there was major economic development.
Subsequently, Augustus Caesar conferred on Alba the privilege of Roman law. First attached to the province of Aquitaine in the time of Strabo, it appears to have been integrated into the province of Narbonne.
"The Starting point of the Roman roads to Valencia, Vienna, and Lyon by the banks of the Rhone, another to Bourg-Saint-Andéol, Narbonne, and finally to Gergovie. Apart from the roads, Alba was the centre of an agricultural region, especially for wine, and a regional trading centre of Gaul.... Alba was from the first century a major city", said Marcel Le Glay, "although not equaling the splendour of Arles, Orange, Nimes or Vienna. Until its peak in the second century, Alba developed on two axes: south on the terraces of Escoutay and north in the "Bagnols" district located near the valley the Rhone below the Massif Central.
At the time of the Christianization of the city, the first episcopal see of the region remains uncertain, ranging from the late first century or that of the second century. After its decline, probably from the late third century, the city lost its episcopal function in the middle of the fourth century to the benefit of Viviers. The ancient site was abandoned and a new settlement was made in the Middle Ages in the location of the present village.
The names of the Bishops of Alba are known to us through a document written in 950 by the Bishop of Viviers (Thomas II): the Charta Vetus: they were called Januarius, Septimius, Maspicianus, Melanus and Auxonius. The existence of a Bishop Avolus is a popular tradition (Yves Esquieu). This was attributed to the Alemanni at the destruction of Alba Helvorium in 406 AD.
Bishop Avolus was put to death and his successor Bishop Auxionus established the fortified town of Viviers which gave him his diocese name Vivarais. Yves Esquieu gave a transfer date around 475 but if so then the transfer would have been done by Promotus, a successor of Bishop Auxonius.
Against the wall of the Jewish cemetery in the northern district of Bonn, Germany there is a relief from the tombstone of the first known inhabitant of Bonn: namely a Roman soldier who came in 35 AD from Helviorium Alba (Alba-La-Romaine today). The tombstone inscription, translated from Latin means:
"Here lies Publius Clodius, son of Plubius, from the Voltinia Region, born at Alba, soldier of the first legion, 48 years old, died after 25 years of service.".

Alba-la-Romaine

The Château de Saint-Montan is a castle in the commune of the same name, in the Ardèche department. Built in the eleventh century for military purposes, it reaches over time a residential purpose. Very touched by the wars of religion, it remains abandoned until the late 1960s, where for forty years, nearly 10 000 volunteers will succeed to revive the castle and its town. The oldest parts of the castle date from the tenth century, the fortress was then extended in its lower part until the fourteenth century. During the sixteenth century, during the wars of religion, the castle and the medieval town suffer greatly. The village fell to the Protestants in 1563, and then in the spring of 1570, the Coligny army captures the castle. In 1609, the castle-fortress seemed uninhabitable and required 8,700 pounds of repairs. In 1649, for 117 pounds, a gap of nine meters long was clogged, but probably no other remedy was taken. During the Revolution, the fortress is sold. First used as a farm, it will end in a stone quarry. The village, then uninhabited, falling apart in the early twentieth century. It was only from 1969, over a period of forty years, that the entire medieval village was restored by volunteers, including scouts, school children and students.
http://www.frenchchateau.net/chateaux-of-rhone-alpes/chateau-de-saint-montan.html

Château de Saint-Montan

The origins of the Château de La Verrerie date back to 1422.
In this year, King Charles VII gave the County of Aubigny to John Stuart, Count of Darnley and Constable of Scotland, in recognition of his loyal services during the Hundred Years’ War in the battle against the English.
A small glass lakeside glass factory, which was demolished in 1815, inspired the name of “La Verrerie”.
However, the château was not built until the end of the 15th century, at which time Béraud Stuart, the grandson of John Stuart, returning from a campaign in Italy, constructed the main house to the side of the Chapel, that joined onto the Renaissance Gallery, which was built in 1525 by Robert Stuart, the son-in-law of Béraud Stuart and a comrade-in-arms of Bayard.
In 1670, the last Stuart of Aubigny died and the Château de La Verrerie, as laid down in King Charles VII deed of donation, was returned to the French crown.
King Louis XIV, acting on a decree of 18 March 1673, gave the land back to Charles II, King of England, who was the direct male descendant of John Stuart. In the same year, at his request, it was given as a gift to his mistress, Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth.
In 1734, the Duke of Richmond, son of Louise de Kérouaille and Charles II inherited the seigniory, raised to a duchy-peerage.
In 1842, the heirs sold the Château and the land of Aubigny to Léonce de Vogüé, the ancestor of the current owners.
In 1895, Marquis Louis de Vogüé built the south wing which now houses the reception rooms and most of the bedrooms.
In 1962, Count Antoine de Vogüé, who had then been Mayor of Oizon since 1953 – and who would go on to become the Cher departmental councillor in 1964 and was re-elected to both positions – settled permanently in the ground floor of the north wing.
In 1965, he opened the château to visitors and joined the Route Jacques Cœur association.
In 1978, his wife, Countess Antoine de Vogüé, opened the ‘La Maison d’Hélène’ restaurant. In 1982, she started welcoming guests to the chambre d’hôtes. She now lives in the large house to the rear of the restaurant, known as the ‘Gros Chêne’.
In 1993, their son Count Béraud de Vogüé and his family took over the family business on their return from Canada and the USA.
The only owner of La Verrerie to have been born there, he works relentlessly to promote La Verrerie and other private châteaux that belong to the association ‘La Route Jacques Cœur’, over which he presides.
Every winter, the association ‘Les Amis du Château de La Verrerie’, which was founded in 1999, organizes concerts in the Grand Salon of the Château.
http://www.chateaudelaverrerie.com

Château de Vogüé

Les ruines très bien conservées du château de Boulogne sont situées sur la commune de Saint-Michel-de-Boulogne dans le département de l'Ardèche.
Histoire
L'histoire de ce château est intimement liée à celle de la famille de Lestrange , proche de la cour royale à partir du xive siècle, et le mariage du baron de l' Estrange (catholique) avec Madame de la Tour-Chambaud (protestante) fut à l'origine d'un épisode des guerres de Religion, et se termina par le Siège de Privas par les troupes de Louis XIII.
Architecture
Au xie siècle, seuls un donjon carré et une chapelle existaient. C'est au xive siècle que trois grandes tours rondes et des courtines sont rajoutées pour renforcer l'édifice. Le château est transformé en résidence renaissance au xvie siècle, vers 1550. La Salle des Gardes, les écuries, le grand pont terrasse de l'entrée, le châtelet et son portail renaissance, muni d'une sculpture de la tête de Marie de Langeac, datent de cette époque. Le château est en ruines, mais elles sont régulièrement consolidées.
Monument historique
Les vestiges du château de Boulogne ont été classés aux Monuments historiques, par arrêté du 17 juillet 1915.

Château de Boulogne

Le château de La Voulte-sur-Rhône est un Château de style Renaissance du xive siècle, situé à La Voulte-sur-Rhône dans le département de l'Ardèche, dans la région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes en France.
Situation
Fortement abîmé lors de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, le château de La Voulte-sur-Rhône fut construit sur un rocher dominant la vallée du Rhône et l'entrée de la vallée de l'Eyrieux.
Protections
La chapelle, dite des princes, fait l’objet d’un classement au titre des monuments historiques depuis le 16 août 1923.
Le château fait l’objet d’une inscription au titre des monuments historiques depuis le 31 mai 1927.

Château de la Voulte-sur-Rhône

Figure of the Ardèche civil architecture, the Château d, also called castle of Montlaur is located in the town of Aubenas in the Ardeche department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. This "building in metamorphoses" bears the mark of six noble families who lived from the twelfth century until the Revolution. It is the subject of a classification as historical monuments since March 2, 1943.The twelfth century to the Revolution, six noble families succeed. Montlaur family will reign from 1084 to 1441, and built the dungeon, the city wall and the two round towers of the castle, then ditched. The castle will then pass into the hands of Maubec until 1551, followed by the Modena Ornano until 1665, of Harcourt-Lorraine who then bequeathed in 1716 to Vogue, who keep until 1792. The building became property of the city of Aubenas in 1810.
http://www.frenchchateau.net/chateaux-of-rhone-alpes/chateau-d-aubenas.html