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Castle of Ballainvilliers dans l'Essonne

Essonne

Castle of Ballainvilliers

    17 Rue du Général Leclerc
    91160 Ballainvilliers

Timeline

Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1700
1800
1900
2000
XVIIe siècle
Initial construction
1877
Conversion into orphanage
1994
Acquisition by the municipality
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Key figures

Nicolas Lepagnol de Fontenoy - Initial sponsor Owner in the 17th century
Charles Bernard de Ballainvilliers - Baron and Chancellor Post-Revolution Repurchase

Origin and history

The castle of Ballainvilliers is a 17th century building located in the municipality of Essonne, on the right bank of the Yvette. Built for Nicolas Lepagnol of Fontenoy, it illustrates the aristocratic residential architecture of the time, before being confiscated as national property during the French Revolution.

Acquired by the family of Baron Charles Bernard de Ballainvilliers (1757-1835), Chancellor of Monsieur (brother of Louis XVIII), the castle changed hands several times. In 1877, the sisters of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul made it an orphanage, then a holiday settlement centre in the 20th century. Today only the left wing and the chapel of the original building remain.

Purchased by the municipality in 1994, the castle is converted into a cultural centre, marking a new stage in its centuries-old history. Its location, close to the former Royal Road of Orleans (now RN20), highlights its historic importance in the Hurepoix country, 21 km southwest of Paris.

External links