What was Rabanesse in the 15th century?

A defensive tower of a fief on the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand, built in local Volvic stone with an interior spiral staircase.

How was the château transformed in the 19th century?

From 1874 onward, it housed a meteorological station: the tower was raised to accommodate measuring instruments, and the lodge served as a telegraph office and photography laboratory until 1911.

What stone was used in its construction?

Volvic stone, a local volcanic material typical of the Clermont-Ferrand region, visible on the moulded frames of 15th-century openings.

Château de Rabanesse

Rabanesse Castle

Clermont-Ferrand

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Clermont-Ferrand

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Château de Rabanesse stands in Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme), in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The building is registered as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: 15th century, 17th century, 18th century). No visits are on record for this building.

Rabanesse château is a square tower from the 15th century, the remains of a fief at Clermont-Ferrand's edge, inhabited since the medieval period. Built in Volvic stone, it contains a spiral staircase serving six floors lit by small moulded openings. A rectangular two-storey dwelling adjoins it, bearing modifications likely from the 17th or 18th century. The site served as a meteorological station from 1874 onwards before its closure in 1911.

What to know

The tower has been listed as a historic monument since 2009, with no public information on visiting conditions or access.
The building combines elements from the 15th century (tower, staircase) and later periods (lodge modifications).
A watermill formerly stood on the site before the current structures.

Where this château is

Clermont-Ferrand · Puy-de-Dôme · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Map of the area around Château de Rabanesse

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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Heritage status: Registered historic monument (inscrit); Mérimée record PA63000096
Period of construction: 15th century, 17th century, 18th century

Frequently asked

What was Rabanesse in the 15th century?: A defensive tower of a fief on the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand, built in local Volvic stone with an interior spiral staircase.
How was the château transformed in the 19th century?: From 1874 onward, it housed a meteorological station: the tower was raised to accommodate measuring instruments, and the lodge served as a telegraph office and photography laboratory until 1911.
What stone was used in its construction?: Volvic stone, a local volcanic material typical of the Clermont-Ferrand region, visible on the moulded frames of 15th-century openings.