Vallerois-le-Bois Castle

Vallerois-le-Bois Castle, locally known as Château de Vallerois-le-Bois, lies in the village of the same name in the Haute-Saône department in France.

Tradition has it that Vallerois-le-Bois Castle dates back to the 12th century. However the Lords of Vallerois-le-Bois were first mentioned in 1273.

In the beginning of the 15th century the lordship came into the hands of the Montrost family. They were vassals of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, and with his permission fortified the castle. On the death of Philibert de Montrost, lieutenant of the bailiff of Montbéliard, in 1516, the seigneury fell to Florent de Vaudrey. The Vaudreys then rebuilt the castle during the 16th century, giving it its present appearance.

In 1681 Vallerois-le-Bois Castle passed to Claude-Joseph de Salives, Lord of Genevrey, through marriage. The Salives emigrated to Switzerland due to the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century. The castle was then confiscated and, in 1794, sold as national property after which it became a farm. It fell into disrepair and deteriorated.

In the early 20th century several parts of the castle collapsed and it was used as a quarry by the locals. In 1964 it was bought by a Mr. Jouffroy who started to restore it, until 1974. After a new period of abandonment the castle was acquired by its present owners. They again started to restore it, with the help of the government and an association of volunteers.

At present Vallerois-le-Bois Castle is private property. It can only be visited on some occasions, like National Heritage Days. A nice castle complex. I especially like the keep.

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