Reconstruction of the castle Second Empire (XIXe siècle) (≈ 1865)
Current building in millstones and bricks.
Années 2010
Closure of zoological reserve
Closure of zoological reserve Années 2010 (≈ 2010)
End of park public visits.
2023
Fraud and degradation
Fraud and degradation 2023 (≈ 2023)
Theft and damage by fraudulent buyers.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Louis XIV - King of France
Offer the estate to Louise de Maisonblanche.
Louise de Maisonblanche - Natural girl of Louis XIV
Beneficiary of the original castle.
Origin and history
The Château de Sauvage, located on the town of Emancé in the Yvelines, finds its origins in a first U-shaped building, whose date of construction remains unknown. This estate was offered by Louis XIV to Louise de Maisonblanche, her natural daughter born from her relationship with Claude de Vin des Eillets, lady of company of Madame de Montespan. The site retained a symbolic value linked to the royal court.
In the 19th century, under the Second Empire, the old castle was replaced by a new construction, characterized by walls of stone and brick, surmounted by a roof in slate. The surrounding park, with an area of 40 hectares, was built in English, including a pond fed by a diversion of the Drouette. This landscape reflected the aesthetic trends of the time, mixing nature and artifice.
Until the 2010s, the estate housed a zoological reserve open to the public, hosting a variety of animals. In 2023, while the castle was on sale, fraudulent buyers took advantage of the premises without financial compensation. They damaged part of the interior heritage (paintings, woodwork, hangings) and sold furniture before being convicted of fraud. This episode marked a troubled period in the recent history of the site.