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Origin and history

Berny Castle, located in Fresnes in the current Val-de-Marne, was a major aristocratic residence of the seventeenth century. Mentioned in 1422 as a fief belonging to Jehan Sac, a Parisian bourgeois, he passed into the hands of the Brûlart family in the 16th century. Pierre III Brûlart, adviser to the Paris Parliament, then his son Nicolas, Chancellor of France, made minor changes there, some of which were led by Clément Métezeau. In 1623, Pierre IV Brûlart entrusted François Mansart with a complete renovation, completed around 1635, which marked the architectural climax of the estate.

The castle became a place of power and receptions under Pomponne II of Bellièvre, which welcomed the conjures of the Fronde (1648-1649). In 1653 Hugues de Lionne, Minister of State and Marquis of Berny, organized sumptuous festivals there until his death in 1671. His son, Louis, sold orange trees to Louis XIV and in 1685 housed the Siam ambassadors, whose passage partially damaged the gardens. That same year, the estate was acquired by the abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which transformed it into a summer residence for its abbots, including Cardinal de Furstenberg, known for his excesses and luxurious amenities.

In the 18th century, Louis de Bourbon-Condé, Count of Clermont, lived there with his mistresses, including the dancer Élisabeth Leduc, and organized festivals there competing with those of Sceaux. He had the castle restored by Jacques Hardouin-Mansart de Sagonne and set up a theatre there. After his death in 1771, the estate declined. Sold as a national good during the Revolution, it was demolished gradually from 1808. Today, only a north wing remains, classified as a historic monument in 1929, integrated into a residence.

The park, loti in 1905, once housed studs known for their horse racing (1834-1893). The castle of Berny, although disappeared, remains a symbol of the aristocratic art of living of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, marked by the influence of the Mansart and the fascists of the court.

Among the famous entertainment, the count of Clermont's theatre hosted works by Marivaux, Collé, and Blavet, mixing operas, comedy and parades. The engravings of Claude de Chastillon and Israel Silvestre, as well as the drawings of the gardens crossed by the Bièvre, bear witness to its past splendor.

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