Thoire

Thoire gave its name to a family of lords rooted in the uplands of Bugey, near the borders of Burgundy and Savoy. Around 1187 marriage united the houses of Thoire and Villars, creating a powerful lineage whose possessions extended towards the Dombes. Members of the family also held high church offices, including the archbishopric of Lyon. Their castles and estates made the Thoire-Villars a significant force between the Saône and Rhône.