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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Castel Val is an Art Nouveau villa built between 1903 and 1904 in Auvers-sur-Oise, on the hill of Chaponval, by architect Hector Guimard for Louis Chanut (or Chenut), brother-in-law of industrialist Léon Nozal. This project is part of a series of Guimard achievements for the Chenut family, including a mansion in Paris, a villa in Cabourg, a funeral monument and a factory in Saint-Denis. The house, backed by the hill, evokes a snail by its rounded shape, perhaps with reference to the zoological tastes of the owners, who lived with a guenon named Mademoiselle. Its architecture combines wrought iron, brick, mill, wood and tiles, with a reinforced cement balustrade decorated with ceramic medallions.

Inside the Castel Val, designed as a labyrinth, is distinguished by its multiple back doors and a central staircase with double revolution. The villa, symmetrical despite its complex volumes, offers a view of the Oise and integrates harmoniously with its surroundings. In 1993, it was degraded and bought by Mr. Plescoff and his son Jean-Marc, who preserved the original stained glass windows. However, several elements have been dispersed: a fireplace is located at the Philadelphia Museum, Art Nouveau furniture is displayed in Lyon, and an armchair at the Musée d'Orsay.

Classified as a Historic Monument in 2006, the villa embodies Guimard's creative maturity, combining apparent metal structure, traditional materials and innovations such as reinforced cement. Its history also reflects the industrial patronage of the time, with sponsors like the Nozal, enriched by metallurgy. Today, the Castel Val remains a major testimony of Art Nouveau in Île-de-France, despite the partial dispersion of its interior decor.

The site, accessible from Chaponval station, is located at 4 rue des Meulières. Its garden and built elements, such as the wall along the street, have been protected since 2006. The villa, although closed to the permanent visit, retains an exceptional heritage value, linked to the heritage of Guimard and the local history of Auvers-sur-Oise, a city already marked by its link with Impressionists like Van Gogh.

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