Les remparts et fortifications de Crémieu
From the Dauphiné castle, overlooking Saint-Laurent hill, to the remains of a Benedictine priory at the top of Saint-Hippolyte hill, the ramparts extend over a distance of more than 2 km which encloses the entire historic center of the city.
The first written records of Crémieu's existence date from the late 12th century. At that time, the town was the chief town of a district within the barony of La Tour, which was annexed to the Dauphiné in 1282. The Dauphiné was sold to the French Crown on July 16, 1349.
At that time, the city was organized around two poles:
– Saint-Laurent hill with the Dauphiné castle where the old quarters were established, serves a civil and military role.
– Saint-Hippolyte hill with its Benedictine priory also surrounded by fortifications is the religious center.
In the XNUMXth century, each hill was fortified independently.
In 1315, Dauphin Jean II, lord of Dauphiné, decided to grant Crémieu a charter of liberties, giving new freedoms to the inhabitants. He thus created the conditions for a marked development, notably through the creation of a new town between the two hills of the town.
This new town, also needing fortifications, as Crémieu, located on the border between Dauphiné and Savoy (the Ain department then belonged to Savoy), had to be able to play a military role in case of invasion, a second ring of ramparts was built in the 14th century. The Gates of the Law, and later the New Gate or François I Gate, were part of this second ring.
This set of fortifications is a rare example, both for the quality of the construction and its exceptional state of preservation. The ramparts had at least 11 gates and 14 watchtowers.
Roadworks – Closure of the Saint-Hippolyte hill from September 14th to November 15th: access impossible from Monday to Friday. The hill remains accessible on Saturdays and Sundays.
Rankings & Labels
- Listed historic site and monument
- Registered historic site and monument
Themes
Location details
- In the city
- In the historic center
Visit
Individual visit services
- Unguided individual tours permanently
Group visit services
- Unguided group tours permanently
Opening
All year round, every day.
Prices
Free.
Services
Equipment
Services
Home animals
Accessible tourism
Linked offers
On site:
L’ancien château delphinal
Historical site and monument
Marche nordique et marche tonique à Crémieu et aux alentours
Sports activities
Related to:
