Château

The ancient heart of Champorcher

The village of Château has always been the historic and symbolic heart of the Champorcher community.
Here, where daily life and memory intertwine, everything began.

As early as the Middle Ages, Château was the first inhabited core of the valley, under the rule of the lords of Bard, then the powerful House of Savoy, along with the lords of Pont-Saint-Martin.

The most enduring symbol of that era is the medieval square tower, rebuilt several times, most recently in 1320.

That reconstruction was carefully recorded – materials, phases, workers, the master builder – showing how seriously the Count of Savoy took the task of preserving this landmark.

Next to the tower stands the parish church of Saint Nicholas of Bari, built atop the castle ruins. This church, too, has seen many transformations. Now beautifully restored, it holds true artistic treasures:

• A painted vault by the Artari brothers from the 19th century;
• Statues carved in the 18th century by itinerant sculptors from Valsesia.

From heritage to high society

Between the late 1800s and early 1900s, Château became a small but elegant mountain retreat.
The first hotels appeared – Mont-Glacier, Castello, Coq – alongside beautiful private villas.

Among its distinguished guests:

• Victor Emmanuel II, the first King of Italy, who came here to hunt chamois and ibex near Dondena;
• Adriano Olivetti, visionary entrepreneur from Ivrea, who explored these mountains for hiking and botanical study.

With the arrival of the carriage road in the 1950s, tourism increased – yet Château remained a place of quiet, authentic welcome rooted in Nature.

Château is not just a village: it is a crossroads of history, spirituality, and Alpine culture.

Here, one walks through time, pauses to reflect, and understands that some places carry a living soul – etched into the landscape itself.