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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Neighbors, located in Saint-Hilarion in the Yvelines, was built between 1903 and 1906 by architect René Sergeant for Count Edmond de Fels, diplomat and husband of the heir Jeanne Lebaudy. This lavish building, inspired by the works of Angel-Jacques Gabriel, replaces a 14th century manor house remodeled in the 18th century by the Marquis de Crosmare. Equipped with modern technologies (central heating, elevator), it embodies an architectural ideal of the "Louis XVII style", combining luxury and comfort.

The park and gardens, designed between 1903 and 1929 by Achille Duchêne, span 1,100 hectares and incorporate classical and modern sculptures. The castle, partially classified as a Historical Monument in 1983, symbolizes one of the last major French aristocratic buildings before the First World War. His story included a controversial episode in 1944, when Marshal Pétain was under German surveillance.

The estate has also been used as a setting for many films and series, notably to represent the Elysée or luxurious residences. Its architecture and layout make it an exceptional testimony of eclecticism and the fascist of the Edwardian era in France.

Prior to its reconstruction, the site housed a medieval mansion transformed in 1779 by Ange-Jacques Gabriel for the Marquis de Crosmare, governor of the stables of Louis XV. The Count of Fels, fascinated by Gabriel, asked René Sergeant to draw inspiration from his plans to create an even more ambitious home, combining classical elegance and technical innovations.

Titanic works (460 000 m3 of displaced land, deviated railway line) were financed by the fortune of Lebaudy, a sugar family. The castle, with its 47 rooms and high-tech equipment for the period, became a modern aristocratic residence model, often compared to the castles of Artigny and Trévarez.

During World War II, Marshal Pétain was housed there in May 1944 by the German authorities, who feared for his safety in Vichy. This stay, marked by political meetings and symbolic movements (Rouen, Versailles), reflects the tensions of the occupation. After the war, the castle became an iconic cinema venue, hosting films such as Vatel (2000) and Hunger Games (2015).

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