Château de La Roche Saint-Priest

Anchored to its rocky outcrop since the 13th century, the Château de la Roche transforms, depending on the river's mood, from a defensive stronghold to a romantic island.

Its improbable location on the Loire River makes it an iconic site of the department.

Built by the Lords of La Roche, vassals of the Count of Forez, between 1256 and 1291, the core of the castle and its fortified house emerged in the Loire gorges.

At that time, thick walls surrounded the rock, which was completely separated from the mainland. Until the 14th century, their heirs enjoyed a significant fiefdom, both in terms of its size and its assets (mill, fishing rights on the Loire, vineyards, etc.).

The castle changed hands several times until 1965, when EDF (Électricité de France) decided to demolish it for the construction of a dam downstream.

In 1993, it was bought by the municipality of Saint-Priest and, in 2007, the Communauté de communes du Pays entre Loire et Rhône (COPLER) became its manager.