Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Vauventriers Castle, located in Champhol in the department of Eure-et-Loir, is a typical example of the buildings built by the royal entourage at the end of the 16th century. Acquired in 1589 by Guillaume Baigneault, king's secretary and finance adviser, the primitive mansion was replaced between 1598 and 1609 by a new castle. The latter is distinguished by its style combining brick and stone, inspired by the models of Jacques Androuet du Cerceau. The body of rectangular houses, flanked by pavilions and wings in return, includes a chapel decorated with paintings, a monumental gate and a central dovecote in the courtyard of the farm.

The estate evolves through the centuries, passing into the hands of influential families. In 1747 Jacques Grandet de La Villette became its owner, before the castle was passed on by inheritance to the families of the Buisson de Courson, Lafont, and then Maupeou d'Ableiges. Emmanuel de Maupeou is the current owner. The castle is partially classified as a historical monument in 1969 (façades, roofs, dovecote) and in 2006 (chapel, gate, pool), highlighting its heritage importance. Since 2016, the farm of the estate grows giant miscanthus to power a biomass boiler, illustrating a contemporary adaptation.

The architecture of the castle is part of the tradition of the houses of the fields described by Androuet du Cerceau, with a marked symmetry and careful decorative elements. The chapel, the pedestrian gate and the pool are among the protected elements, reflecting the prestige of the sponsors. The site, always private, bears witness to the legacy of the financial and administrative elites of the Ancien Régime, while integrating recent energy innovations. The location in Champhol, near Chartres, strengthens its anchor in a territory rich in historical heritage.

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