Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Arc-en-Barrois finds its medieval origins with the Broyes family, which erected a fortress there from the twelfth century. The site then passed into the hands of the Châteauvillain and was destroyed during the Revolution in 1793. The estate, bought by Nicolas de L'Hospital in the 17th century, saw the construction of a new rectangular house, modest but preserved until the 19th century.

In the 19th century, the castle was deeply transformed by Adelaide d'Orléans, sister of Louis-Philippe I, who rebuilt it between 1840 and 1845 to bequeath it to his nephew, the Prince of Joinville. The estate, inherited by the Bourbon-Penthièvre and then the Orléans, became a place of aristocratic residence before being used as a hotel in the 20th century. In 1971, the state acquired ownership of it, separating forests and castles, now transformed into a private residence.

Today's architecture combines 17th-century elements (large works and stairs) with 19th-century amenities, such as the forebody and the English park. The interior decoration, including the salons and their woodwork, is listed as a historical monument in 2015. During the First World War, the castle welcomed wounded people from the fronts of Verdun and Argonne, testifying to its local anchorage.

The furniture of the castle, sometimes marked with arms of the Bourbon (LB crowned) or of the estate (ARC), recalls its princely past. After decades of hotel usage under various owners (French, Japanese, Dutch), the site is now managed by a Danish company as a holiday home, concluding a history marked by dynastic legacies and architectural transformations.

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