Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Grouchy Castle, located in Osny in Val-d'Oise, was built from 1787 on the foundations of a 17th century building. Commanded by Charles-Malo-François de Lameth, he adopted a sober Louis XVI style, with architectural elements completed at the beginning of the 19th century, such as the windows "to Florentine". The estate includes an ancient dovecote and a structured park, mixing English garden and manufactures like a temple of Love.

In the 19th century, the castle changed hands several times: bought in 1853 by Jules Riottot, then occupied by academician Edmond About (1881-1885), who installed a monumental greenhouse and animated a worldly life. In 1898, industrialist Lazare Weiller undertook major transformations, continued by banker Frédéric de Reiset and his son-in-law, Marquis Jean-Félix de Grouchy. This includes the repair of the right wing, the vestibule, and the addition of a staircase with allegorical statues.

In the 20th century, the castle became a departmental house for children (1943), then acquired by the municipality of Osny in 1987 to install the town hall and a gallery of exhibition. Ranked a historic monument in 1990 with its park, it preserves protected elements such as the Louis XVI Salon (registered in 1944) and 18th century factories. The estate, open to the public, also houses a museum of firefighters and a space dedicated to artist William Thornley.

The 42-hectare park, partially destroyed by bombings in 1944, now offers relaxation areas with a pond, a ride, and wooded walks. Among its curiosities are an 8-metre deep cooler, a hunting pavilion, and the temple of Love, adorned with a copy of a statue of Allegrain (original in the Louvre). The castle, symbol of local heritage, illustrates the architectural and social evolution of the region for three centuries.

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