The Château de Suze-la-Rousse is an 11th century feudal castle and a 16th century Renaissance style stately home in Suze-la-Rousse in the Drôme department (Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesFrance). The building is in perfect condition, listed as a historic monument since 1964 and has now housed a wine university since 1978.

The site has been occupied since the Gallo-Roman era by a castle site.

In 793, Emperor Charlemagne donated the land of Orange and the surrounding lands (on which Suze depended) to his cousin William the Short Nose, to thank him for his help in the liberation of Orange. The place then becomes a “hunting lodge”.

In 1173 Tiburge II of Orange (granddaughter of Count Rambaud II of Orange and descendant of William) married Bertrand I of Baux to whom she brought the land of Suze. The latter built a military fortified castle half encrusted in the ocher rock, equipped with gigantic defensive ramparts, deep moats and a drawbridge, battlements, a 34-meter well, a chapel of Saint- Turquois, on a hill overlooking the village of Suze in the heart of 1,600 hectares of Côtes du Rhône vineyards to which the region is dedicated.

Shortest distances by car

From Paris: 5 hr 54 min (649 km) via A6 and A7

From Lyon: 1 hr 58 min (188 km) via A7

From Marseille: 1 hr 27 min (144 km) via A7

From Nice: 2 hr 56 min (303 km) via A8 and A7

From Toulouse: 3 hr 22 min (370 km) via A61 and A9

From Monaco: 3 hr 11 min (326 km) via A8 and A7

From Andorra: 5 hr 14 min (496 km) via A9

See here France travel guide

See here Spain travel guide

See here Pyrenees travel guide

See here Andorra travel guide

Read more: Castles and fortresses of Spain and France with Mathew Kristes ...