Château des Ducs de Savoie

The Château des Ducs de Savoie, the castle of the Dukes of Savoy, dominates the old centre of Chambéry from the Place du Château. For several centuries Chambéry was the capital of the Duchy of Savoy, and this fortress was the centre of the state before the dukes moved their court to Turin in the sixteenth century. The oldest parts go back to the Middle Ages, and the castle was greatly extended from the thirteenth century onward, which is why it combines military towers with more elegant residential wings.

The most famous part of its history concerns the Holy Shroud. The relic was kept in the castle's Sainte-Chapelle in the early sixteenth century, and a fire in 1532 damaged it there before it left for Turin in 1578. The chapel, founded in the time of the Savoyard dukes, remains one of the principal rooms shown on the guided tours, and its interior is notable for its painted decoration. Visitors also see the courtyards, the ceremonial staircase and rooms linked to the dukes' court life.

The castle is not only a museum but a working building and a listed Historic Monument. Even today it houses the Savoie Prefecture, the Departmental Council and the Savoie Academy, so only part of the complex can be visited, and always with a guide. These tours are valued for the quality of their commentary, which sets the site within the wider story of Savoy, from its medieval counts to its union with France in 1860. The Louis XVI salon is one of the rooms noted for its refined decoration.

Another feature is the carillon in the bell tower, named Saint-François de Sales, which has around seventy bells and is played in public concerts on selected days. The sound drifts across the old town and gives the quarter around the castle a special atmosphere. The Tour Yolande, a tower named after a duchess, is another landmark of the ensemble.

Access needs some planning: visits are by reservation, group sizes are limited, and large bags are not allowed inside, so it is best to book ahead online or at the Tourist Office and travel light. The castle sits at the edge of the pedestrian zone, so reaching it on foot from the Vieille Ville is easy, and the nearby Place Saint-Léger and the Musée Savoisien, which tells the story of Savoy in more detail, make a good follow-up. Visitors who enjoy medieval architecture and political history will find this one of the most rewarding stops in the city.