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Origin and history

The castle of Brinches, located in Villemareuil (Seine-et-Marne), was built in 1650 on the initiative of Charles II of Lorraine, Duke of Elbeuf, as evidenced by the registers from 1648. This first building then passed to his son, François-Marie, thus perpetuating his family heritage. The estate remained in the hands of this line until a fire ravaged much of the buildings in 1757, destroying two housing bodies and the chapel.

The family of Epinoy took possession of the castle in the 18th century and in 1751 left it to Madame de Marsan, governess of Louis XVI and last owner of the seigneury of Villemareuil with his brothers. During the Revolution, the castle was confiscated as a national property and sold. In the 19th and 20th centuries, he belonged to the family of Avène, whose Viscount became mayor of Villemareuil at the beginning of the 20th century. The estate was auctioned in 1862 for 45,000 francs, before being restored in the late 19th century.

The castle of Brinches thus illustrates the political and social upheavals of France, passing from the hands of the Lorrain aristocracy to those of influential families under the Ancien Régime, then suffering the consequences of the Revolution. His subsequent restorations bear witness to a desire to preserve despite the vicissitudes of history.

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