Châtelard Castle is a medieval castle located on a rocky outcrop overlooking the entire valley, within the municipality of La Salle, a small town in the Aosta Valley.
Castello di Châtelard History
Châtelard Castle is located within the municipal area of La Salle, a small town in the Aosta Valley. The village, whose name probably derives from the Celtic term "room", or "noble country house", in the fascist period was known with the name of Sala Dora. It is currently a small town populated by two thousand inhabitants, nestled in the heart of the Valdigne. A place where time seems to stand still, where peace and tranquility merge with the spectacular scenery of the Aosta Valley mountains.
The castle was built in the first half of the thirteenth century by Rodolfo Grossi, bishop of Aosta and adviser to Pietro II di Savoia. The castle belonged to the Châtelard nobles, however, over the centuries numerous changes of ownership followed one another. The Châtelard nobles died out in 1691, when the last heir was killed by the French during an invasion.
In 1793, the French revolutionary troops invading Savoy arrived in the Aosta Valley and destroyed much of the castle. In 1798 this was bought by the Léaval family, retaining possession until 1931. Upon the death of Jean-Baptiste Léaval the Châtelard tower passed into the hands of Elisa Donnet. Today the castle is privately owned and belongs to the Beneyton family.