Crémieu

The city preserves many old houses (XVI-XVIII centuries), beautiful remainders of fortifications (doors of XIV century, wall segments), vast covered markets (XV century), and brood it of Augustins whose cloister is intact and who is used as town hall since the French revolution.

The delphinal castle (now bar-restaurant) dominates the east coast city, while the ruins of a strengthened priory cover all the Saint-Hippolyte hill in the West.

The convent of the Visitandines
Created in 1627 pennies the impulse of holy Jeanne de Chantal, founder with François saint the Sales of the Ordre of la Visitation, the convent of the Visitandines is built between 1632 and 1684. Order with charitable vocation, the Visitandines combine contemplation with the service of the poor and the patients. This congregation leaves the convent with the Revolution. The commune repurchases little by little the buildings and gathers there (of 1823 to 1864) all the hospital services.

The church of the Visitation (1664), there remain some vestiges, was abandoned with the ruin. A new vault contiguous to the buildings is opened with the worship in 1887. Currently old people's home, of the offices are held in the vault, restored in 1987.

In December 1317, the convent of Augustins is founded in the new city by the Dolphin Jean II, with the origin, 10 monks. Leaned with the enclosure of the medieval city, the vault and the wing of the abbey home take part then in the fence and the defense of the city. The bell-tower is built in 1508 on a lathe of defense. The vault of Augustins opens on a cloister and the body of the home shelters very beautiful rooms, in particular the chapter room and the room of chauffoir. After the departure of the monks, the commune repurchases the buildings at the time of the sale of the national goods in 1791.

Between the original religious buildings and the current buildings, many rehandlings transformed this monumental unit which remained most prestigious of the town of Crémieu.

Encircling the low city, the second strengthened enclosure of Crémieu, built in XIV . is bored several doors, of which the Door of the Law. Mentioned since 1392, this monumental door is reinforced in XV. Précédée by a ditch where the river of Vaud ran, the Door of the Law preserved elements of defense and in particular, in crowning, its corbels which supported a hourd (balcony of wood, laid out projecting with the top of the tower whose floor was bored by the openings allowing the jet or the shooting). The roof with quadruple crawling is covered with roofing stones.

At the end of the XII century., a first castle is built by the barons of the Tower of the Pine. In 1282, Crémieu enters the delphinal field. Chief town of mandement and with the doors of Dauphine, the city is sheltered and protected, in the interior of its fortifications by the castle delphinal, installed on the St. Lawrence hill. In 1601: the Treaty of Lyon puts an end to the fight engaged from XII century. between the Dauphine one and Savoy; plane Dauphiné north of the castle ceases then being a country border and the small fortresses have more the utility. In 1626, the assembled the notable ones orders the demolition of all the castles and fortified towns of the interior, but the sad state in which the castle of Crémieu is saved him the destruction.

The castle delphinal was restored partly in 1904. It belongs since the Revolution to private owners. In front of the entry of the castle, a small place in the shape of balcony makes it possible to discover an exceptional sight on the city.