Origin and history
The castle of Chamarande, located in the present department of Essonne, finds its origins in the 9th century with a first mention of a domain in Bonnes (former name of Chamarande), although archeological excavations did not reveal any fortification. In the Middle Ages, the fief belonged successively to lords such as Ursio de Bonnis (XII century), then to influential families such as the Coquatrix, the Montagu (which extended the domain in the 14th century), and the Châtillon (XV century). The Hundred Years and Religion Wars marked a troubled period for the region.
At the beginning of the seventeenth century, François Miron, provost of the merchants of Paris and close to Henry IV, acquired the seigneuries of Bonnes and established a seigneurial residence there, probably the present "court of the commons". His son Jean enlarged the estate, but the castle suffered looting during the Fronde (1652). The Mirons sold the estate in 1654 to Pierre Mérault, former farmer of the anobli gabelles, who had the present building built in a Louis XIII style, with a baroque chapel decorated with stained glass and stucco by Louis Lerambert. The park, inspired by French-style gardens, is then embellished with canals, ponds and fountains.
In 1684, the estate was sold to Clair Gilbert of Ornaison, Louis XIV's first valet of chambers, who obtained the erection of Bonnes in Chamarande County by letters patent in 1685. His son-in-law, Louis de Talaru, Marquis de Chalmazel, appealed to the architect Pierre Contant d'Ivry in the 18th century to modernize the castle: carved pediment ("Pax huic domui"), orangery, gazebo, cooler, and partial transformation of the English park, with an island surrounded by water attributed to Hubert Robert. The French Revolution abolished the county in 1789 and the castle was sequestered in 1794, its furniture being auctioned.
In the 19th century, the estate changed hands several times. The Duke of Persigny, the minister of Napoleon III, organized a festive event and completed the transformation of the English-speaking park with the help of the Count of Chulot, adding exotic essences and an obelisk inspired by the Dream of Poliphile. In 1876 Anthony Boucicaut, heir to the Bon Marché, built a neo-Renaissance dining room and a kennel. Dr Amodru, Mayor of Chamarande, and his widow resided there until 1922. From 1922 to 1951, the castle became a major training centre for French Scouting, welcoming thousands of interns despite the German and then American occupation during the Second World War.
In 1957, Auguste Mione, director of a public works company, restored the castle and developed social infrastructure (cinema, swimming pool, library) for employees and residents. In 1978, the Essonne General Council acquired the estate, which was classified as Historic Monument in 1981. Since 1999, the 98-hectare park, labeled Remarkable Garden, has been home to the Departmental Archives, a contemporary art centre (established in 2001), and a departmental fund of contemporary art (FDAC) enriched by in situ works. The park, renovated by Jacques Sgard in the 1990s, combines 17th and 18th century heritage (glacière, orangery, bald cypress) and contemporary artistic installations.
Since the 2000s, the estate combines heritage preservation and cultural innovation. Under the direction of Judith Quentel (2005–2011), the contemporary art centre is gaining national fame, with exhibitions mixing dance, visual arts and landscapes. After 2011, the programming focuses on environmental themes, in collaboration with the association COAL. Today, the castle hosts thematic exhibitions (like I am an animal in 2022), artists' residences, and public events, while retaining its role as archives and a place of memory for the Essonne.
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