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Origin and history

The Caillebotte property, located in Yerres (Essonne), was acquired in 1860 by Martial Caillebotte (1799-1874), father of the painter Gustave Caillebotte, from the widow of Martin-Guillaume Biennais, goldsmith of Napoleon I. This rich linen merchant built a park of eleven hectares "in English", decorated with picturesque factories such as a Swiss chalet, an orange shop or a cooler. The family lived there until 1879, when Gustave made nearly 90 paintings inspired by the Yerres River and the gardens.

During the 1870 war, the house was requisitioned by the army, like other local properties. After the death of the Caillebotte parents, Gustave and his brother Martial (son) inherited the estate in 1879 before separating from it the same year. The painter immortalized both the water sports on the Yerres and the vegetable gardens, reflecting the evolution of bourgeois customs under the Second Empire.

Purchased by the city of Yerres in 1973, the property was restored and opened to the public. Labeled "Maison des Illustres" in 2012, it now includes the Caillebotte House (neoclassical, with reconstituted workshop), the Ornamental Farm (art centre since 2009), and a remarkable wooded park, where elements of origin such as a bicentenary Lebanese cedar remain. Temporary exhibitions are accompanied by works by Gustave Caillebotte, while the vegetable garden, cultivated by an association, perpetuates the painter's horticultural passion.

Among the restored factories are orangery (exhibitions room), the Chinese kiosk (with a visitable underground cooler), and the neo-Gothic chapel built for Alfred Caillebotte, brother priest of Gustave. The site combines historical heritage, art and nature, offering a dive into the universe that inspired one of the masters of Impressionism. Opening times vary according to season, with separate accesses for the park, house and exhibitions.

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