Castle of Alex

Château d'Alex stands above the small village of Alex in Haute-Savoie, a short drive from Annecy. Little remains of the original stronghold today, but for centuries this hilltop residence was the seat of local lordship — and, briefly, the birthplace of a man who would go on to shape the religious life of the whole region.

Where is it and how do you get there?

Alex sits in the Fier valley, on the road linking Annecy to Thônes, right by the Col de Bluffy. Coming from Annecy, it's under a thirty-minute drive heading toward Thônes and the Aravis valley. The château occupies a rise above the village, from where it once watched over traffic on this route and faced the now-vanished château de Dingy across the valley. It makes a convenient stop for anyone touring the area around Lake Annecy and the foothills of the Alps.

Where does the castle come from?

The building first appears in records in 1340, when it belonged to the lords of Alex. Its fortunes changed in 1383, when Marguerite d'Alex, the last of her line, brought the estate as a dowry to Pierre d'Arenthon. That marriage founded the d'Arenthon d'Alex family, who held the property for the next three centuries.

It was within these walls, in 1620, that Jean d'Arenthon d'Alex was born — a figure who later left a lasting mark on the region as prince-bishop of Geneva from 1661, founding the grand seminary of Annecy in 1684.

When the d'Arenthon d'Alex line died out in the early 18th century, the estate passed to the Favier family, barons du Noyer, before being sold in 1772 to François-Marie de La Fléchère. He saw the property reach its highest status: in 1783, the King of Sardinia elevated his lands to a county.

The French Revolution cut this story short. After an uprising broke out in the Thônes valley in the spring of 1793, the château was confiscated and sold off as national property. The final blow, though, came later — between 1884 and 1894, a subsequent owner, Philippe Gay, had most of the building torn down.

What can you actually see today?

Only fragments of the old stronghold survive: windows with richly carved surrounds, doorways with ornamental lintels, and a semicircular tower. Modest as they are, these details still hint at the château's former standing under the d'Arenthon family.

The building also had a more recent chapter worth knowing: from June 2001 until the end of 2014, it housed the Fondation pour l'art contemporain Salomon, briefly turning the old estate into a contemporary art venue.

When should you visit, and can you go inside?

Château d'Alex is privately owned today, and its interior is closed to visitors. You can, however, view it freely from outside while walking through the village of Alex — spring and summer are the best times, when the surrounding meadows and the view over the Fier valley look their finest and the longer days leave room for exploring on foot. The village itself, with its outlook toward the Tournette massif, is a pleasant stop on any tour of the Annecy area.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the inside of Château d'Alex? No — it's private property, and the interior isn't open to the public. You can only view it from the outside.

How far is it from Annecy? About 20 kilometers, roughly a 30-minute drive along the road toward Thônes.

Why is so little of the château left standing? Because between 1884 and 1894, a later owner, Philippe Gay, had most of the building demolished. Only a handful of architectural details survive today.

What's the château's connection to the Bishop of Geneva? Jean d'Arenthon d'Alex was born here in 1620 and later became prince-bishop of Geneva, going on to found the grand seminary of Annecy.