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Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Brigode, also named castle of the Count of Montalembert, was built in the eighteenth century in the village of Annappes (now Villeneuve-d'Ascq). Built in 1770 by Pierre Jacques Joseph de Brigode, it was later enhanced by an English-speaking park by his son, Romain-Joseph de Brigode. In 1815, King Louis XVIII stopped there when he fled to Belgium during the Cent-Days.

In the 19th century, the castle changed ownership and belonged to Count Arthur de Montalembert. During World War II, he welcomed historical figures such as King George VI of the United Kingdom and Hermann Göring. Despite its prestige, the castle was largely demolished in the 1960s to give way to a residential estate.

Today, only the commons of 1820 persist, integrated into the Brigode golf course. The park, classified as an additional inventory of historic monuments, bears witness to this missing heritage. The remains recall its role in local and European history, between aristocratic architecture and geopolitical events.

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