Château de La Roche (Saint-Priest-la-Roche)

The Château de La Roche is a restored castle situated in the commune of Saint-Priest-la-Roche in the Loire département of France, 20 km from Roanne. The castle stands on an island in the lake formed by the Villerest dam.

History
The earliest written records of the castle date from 1260. It was built on a rocky platform overlooking the Loire river from a height of 30 metres. The fortress allowed a watch to be kept and tolls to be collected for the County of Forez border. The building suffered floods from the Loire more often than attacks from enemies.

In 1290, Girard de La Roche paid homage to the Count of Forez for his house in La Roche.

In the 17th century, because of repetitive floods, the castle lost its attraction, resembling more and more a fortified house that became a ruin in later centuries. At the end of the 1900s, an industrialist from Roanne bought the castle and restored it in the Gothic style, intending it as a second home.

During the 1930s, the construction project for the Villerest dam by EDF condemned the château to disappear below the water. The structure degraded very quickly and was subject to numerous acts of vandalism. It was finally bought for a symbolic one franc by the commune.

During the construction of the dam in 1984, the château was the only building spared by the waters. It is now situated on an island. In 1996, it was entirely restored and the side facing the water was remodelled to permit access throughout the year.

The regulation of the waters of the Loire have not fully protected the château; it was affected by floodwater in 2003 and 2008.