A thousand-year-old stop on the great roads of Europe
A testimony to centuries of travel and trade, the Château des Clées was built at the top of a steep hill to protect the bridge across the gorge of the river Orbe and to secure toll revenues. From pilgrimages to commuter traffic, from soldiers in armour and the great merchants of the Renaissance to 21st century strollers in sneakers, the hill of the castle is a window on the richness and diversity of history.
1150 Construction
The current building is erected on the site of an earlier fortress.
1475 Destruction
Swiss confederates burn the castle during the Burgundy Wars.
1831 Renaissance
Sir Halliday buys the ruined castle and transforms it into a summer residence.
2003 Protection
The hill and the buildings are recognised as a historic heritage site of national importance.
The hill is also a haven of greenery and biodiversity. Its residents include the Old-World kestrel falcon, the elusive wallcreeper bird, the tawny owl, the common pasque flower, the man orchid, and many other species, some rare and threatened.
VISIT THIS PLACE WITH RESPECT FOR ITS MANY RESIDENTS AND ITS HISTORY.
