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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The château de Guermantes, located in Seine-et-Marne, is built in the seventeenth century by Pierre Viole, whose family has owned the fief since the sixteenth century. In 1698 Paulin Pondre, Grand Audiencier de France and a powerful financier under Louis XIV, acquired the estate and undertook important work there. He appealed to Jules Hardouin-Mansart for the perrons and André Le Nôtre to arrange the gardens, including a large water mirror. The 31-metre gallery, decorated with panelling and painted canvas, is inspired by the Glaces de Versailles gallery. Pondre organizes memorable festivals in this lavish setting, reflecting his high social status.

In 1756, a fire destroyed the library of the castle. In the 19th century, the architect Vaudoyer drew aviaries for the owners. Émilie Ernestine Pondre de Guermantes, Countess Picot de Dampierre, lived there until 1884, known for his caustic spirit. The castle then houses a rare suite of 17th century tapestries, woven for François Petit, intendant of finance, and transmitted by inheritance. These works, including a Renaud representative in Armide's arms, were auctioned in 1917 and dispersed, some crossing the Atlantic for exhibitions.

In 1920, the estate was saved from the destruction by Maurice Hottinguer, banker of a Zurich family established in France before 1789. He restored it and passed it on to his son Peter in 1942. During World War II, the castle escaped demolition thanks to the intervention of Blanche Hottinguer, despite German reprisals. Reborn in 2008, it is now transformed into a seminar center under the name Châteauform, and is no longer open to the public. Its interior decoration of the 17th and 18th centuries, although partially preserved, still bears witness to its prestigious past.

Ranked Historic Monument in 1944 and 1970, the castle inspires Marcel Proust to name characters and a volume of In search of lost time, although he never refers directly to it. Its park, facades, and rooms like the chapel or gallery are protected, but its historic furniture disappeared after successive sales. The site remains a remarkable example of Baroque architecture and gardens in Île-de-France, linked to the financial and aristocratic history of the region.

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