Château de Miolans

The château de Miolans locks the Combe de Savoie from its spur above Saint-Pierre-d'Albigny. Built from the 12th century around a primitive keep and enlarged in the 14th and 15th centuries, it is a classified Monument historique. Once militarily obsolete, the dukes of Savoy turned it into a state prison — it was here that the Marquis de Sade, arrested on 9 December by the governor of Savoie, was locked up.

Bought in 1869 by the Guiter family, who restored it, maintain it and opened it to the public, the castle is visited in season: €10 per adult, €5 per child. Historic guided tours, no booking needed, leave Mondays at 14:00 and Tuesday to Sunday at 14:00, 15:30 and 17:00. The walk crosses the Jardin de Simples and climbs the Tour Saint-Pierre, whose panorama stretches from Mont Blanc to the Vercors.

2026 opening: daily 10:00–18:00 from 4 to 19 April (spring holidays), then daily 10:00–20:00 in summer — until 30 August per the official site, until 31 August per the Cœur de Savoie tourist office; the two sources disagree by a day and we do not arbitrate. Picnicking inside the castle is forbidden.

A short season: spring holidays (4–19 April 2026) then daily through summer until late August. Summer days run to 20:00 — the late-afternoon guided slots (17:00) are the gentlest.