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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Ognon, mentioned in 1197, belonged to the family of La Fontaine, which grew and received kings like Louis XII and François I. François de La Fontaine, ruined after supporting the League, sold the estate in 1632. The castle was then purchased in 1676 by Maximilien Titon, a supplier of weapons to Louis XIV, who undertook major restoration and beautification work in the park, including statues and factories inspired by Italy.

The Titons, enriched by the arms monopoly, transformed the park into a masterpiece of the French garden, with a water mirror, gloriettes and statues attributed to artists like Guillaume Berthelot. André Le Nôtre would have contributed to its development, notably by creating perspectives and a grove of the Seasons. The estate then passed to the Caix de Saint-Aymour, then to the Demachy-Seillière, which modernized it before its demolition in 1957.

The park, registered with the Historic Monuments in 1990, retains major elements such as gloriettes, the water mirror and mythological statues. Despite the destruction of the two world wars, it has been partially restored and remains an exceptional testimony of the art of gardens between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Today, he only visits the Heritage Days.

The architecture of the castle, described in confessions from the 16th to the 18th century, evoked a large tower, houses and a luxurious pavilion. The commons, still visible, recall his seigneurial past. The park, transformed into an English garden in the 19th century by Louis-Sulpice Varé, now combines classical heritage and romanticism, with factories such as an ancient false ruin and a pier.

The statues, some attributed to Collignon or inspired by Marie de Medici, illustrate the evolution of styles between Renaissance and Classicism. The green room and the Four Cardinal Vertus, close to the models of the Luxembourg garden, suggest the intervention of Salomon de Brosse. The estate, marked by royal visits and political intrigues, also reflects the economic upheavals of its owners, from La Fontaine to Seillière industrialists.

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