Château Pinel

Château Pinel is a medieval keep standing in Bohas-Meyriat-Rignat, a small commune in the Ain department of eastern France. Also known as château de Rignat, the building is privately owned today and can only be viewed from outside its gates, yet the silhouette of the tower alone explains why locals still count it among the area's landmarks.

Where does the name Pinel come from?

The castle was raised around 1305 on the initiative of Guillaume Coci, a vassal of the Count of Savoy, who was granted this portion of the Buenc lordship in reward for his service. From the Coci family the stronghold passed by marriage to the du Saix family, who held it until the early 17th century. Ownership later moved to the Viard de Pimelle family — and it is a distortion of that surname, "Pimelle" becoming "Pinel," that gave the castle the name it carries today, even though maps and records also list it as château de Rignat.

What survived from the original structure?

The French Revolution did not spare the estate — a large part of the buildings was destroyed at the time. What remains is the square keep flanked by four corner towers, the feature that still gives the site its character. The walls measure a full three metres thick at the base, a good illustration of how solidly this kind of defensive tower was built around the turn of the 14th century. That sheer mass is precisely what let it outlast the wings that were lost.

Who owns the castle today?

In 1921 the estate was bought by Joseph Gonon of Lyon, and his granddaughter looks after it now. Château Pinel has therefore stayed in the same family for more than a century. The building is inhabited, enclosed by a fence and a gate, so visitors can only approach close enough to view it from the road or neighbouring land — entering the grounds themselves is not possible.

Where exactly is the castle located?

Château Pinel sits within the commune of Bohas-Meyriat-Rignat, formed in January 1974 by merging three villages: Bohas, Meyriat and Rignat. It's a quiet corner of the Ain department, not far from Bourg-en-Bresse, set among the meadows, gentle hills and woodland typical of the region. It's worth combining a visit with a drive through the nearby villages, where other local landmarks survive, including the château de Bohas.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors go inside Château Pinel? No. The castle is a private, inhabited property enclosed by a gate, so it can only be seen from the outside.

Why is it sometimes called château de Rignat and sometimes Pinel? Both names refer to the same building. "Rignat" comes from the village name, while "Pinel" is a distorted form of the surname of the Viard de Pimelle family, who once owned the castle.

How old is the castle? Construction is dated to around 1305, meaning the early 14th century, when the region lay under the influence of the Counts of Savoy.

What remains of the original construction? Mainly the square keep with its four corner towers and walls three metres thick at the base — the rest of the buildings were damaged during the French Revolution.