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Origin and history

The castle of Aunoy, located in Champeaux en Seine-et-Marne, finds its origins in the 12th century with a medieval seigneury. A first building, ravaged by a fire around 1750, gave way to an ambitious reconstruction under the impulse of Jean-Baptiste Chabert, a Parisian financier. The latter acquired the estate in 1731 and, after the fire of 1750, had it rebuilt according to the architectural canons of the eighteenth century, using Catalan vaults to avoid the risks of fire. The new castle, inspired by Parisian private hotels, incorporates feudal elements such as a pigeon and two turrets.

In 1754, Chabert sold the castle to his son, before he passed in 1761 to the lawyer Pierre-Jean-Baptiste Gerbier. The latter built one of the first English parks in France, inspired by the principles of "Capability" Brown, with lawns, water, caves and factories (hermitage, obelisk, gazebo). The park, admired by the Prince of Conti and the Duchess of Chartres, became a reference for the landscaped gardens of the time. In 1775, the Viscountess of Broglie acquired the estate.

In the 19th century, the castle was looted by the Black Band after 1837, losing some of its furniture. In the 20th century, it hosted the marriage of tennis player Marguerite Broquedis in 1917, then served as a place of detention for figures of the Algerian war, including Ahmed Ben Bella, from December 1961 to March 1962. Ranked a historic monument in 1986 with its park, moats and communes, the castle today belongs to Jean-Louis Tapiau. Its architecture and garden, witness to the innovations of the eighteenth century, make it a remarkable site.

The castle of Aunoy has also marked popular culture: it serves as a setting for the show Joseph Balsamo (1973) and the clip Jeanne by Laurent Voulzy (2011). Its park, listed in the pre-inventory of remarkable gardens, preserves elements such as an orangery, a cooler and a medieval tower, mixing feudal heritage and aesthetics of the Lights.

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