Vizille

Located 20km to the south of Grenoble is Vizille, home to the Chateau de Vizille. The grandest castle in the Dauphine region, it was built (as it is today) in the 17th century by Francios de Bonne, the then duke de Lesdiguieres.

 The Vizille estate is enormous. Our exploration of the grounds took a few hours. We walked through the manicured gardens before finding a playground!!  The overcast conditions turned to intermittent misty rain as we were searching for the deer. No sign of deer yet, instead we found a mostly frozen lake, peacocks and an old disused fish farm although we thought it was a water treatment plant!! Eventually at the furtherest point from the chateau, we found a tall timber tower and from the top level we observed several herds of deer in separate paddocks.

 

Heading back towards the chateau, we briefly stopped for picnic lunch of baguette, cheese and ham in a small shelter. I say briefly, because it was too cold to linger for much longer than the time it took to consume our food. Winding our way along the canals that were full of carp and dotted with swans, geese and ducks, we arrive back at the chateau.

The chateau has a rich history - the formal home of the Dukes of Lesdiguieres, the powerful Perier family and the summer house for the presidents of the 3rd and 4th French Republics. Today it houses the Musee de la Revolution Francaise (Museum of the French Revolution) given its significant role.

We entered this grand building and were taken through a brief history lesson through art and various artefacts whose interpretations were all in French of course! Back in 1788, King Louis XVI was worried with the amount of power of the Parliament of Dauphine subsequently forbidding them to meet. Already facing hardship with failed harvests, increases in cost of bread and continued tax collections, the inhabitants of Grenoble rioted by throwing tiles from their roofs to the soldiers below. The 7th June 1788 became known as the Day of the Tiles.

At this time the chateau, owned by Claude Perier, a wealthy fabric printer, invited delegates from the clergy, the nobility and the commoners of the Dauphine region to assemble in the castle. Over 500 men converged in the salle du jeu de paume (indoor tennis court) and at this meeting, the Convocation in Paris of the Estates-General was agreed upon. This demanded that Third Estate (the commoners) have double representation and where votes are by head not by order. It was thought that this meeting was the first part of the French Revolution that culminated in the storming of the Bastille  on 14th July 1789; the overthrow of the monarchy and the execution of King Louis XVI in 1793; establishment of the republic followed by numerous years of political turmoil (involving lots of violence) and finally a dictatorship under Napolean in 1804. All very interesting and a lovely way to spend the day.