The Château de Haute Roche, known locally as Château de Haute Roche or Château de Dourbes, is located south of the village of Dourbes.
This castle is located on a rocky promontory, about 200 metres high, overlooking the Dourbes valley and the Viroin river. Although the exact date of construction is not clear, there is evidence that a castle existed on this site as early as the 9th century. Archaeological excavations have even revealed traces of Gallo-Roman use of the site. The current castle was probably built at the end of the 13th century.
The history of Haute Roche is closely linked to the nearby Château de Fagnolles. Over the centuries, several noble families have been associated with the castle, including the Jauche, the Berlaymont, the Egmont, the Pignatelli and the d’Arenberg.
In the 16th century, the castle was fortified with a new gatehouse and an advanced defensive wall to withstand gunfire. In 1554, however, the castle was besieged and taken by Anne de Montmorency, who worked for the French king Henri II. A year later, William of Orange (nicknamed the Silent) reconquered the area and also dismantled the nearby castle of Fagnolles. Haute Roche Castle then fell into disrepair.
The isolated position of the castle is separated from the plateau by a large, hand-dug ditch. The square keep has walls at least 2.5 metres thick and was originally at least 13 metres high. The castle offers fascinating views of the surrounding landscape and is an intriguing witness to the past.