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Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Enzanville, mentioned from 988 under the name Anseinivilla in a diploma of Hugues Capet, is historically linked to the abbey of Sainte-Colombe de Sens. In 836, Emperor Louis the Debonnaire attached lands, including the Sermaises, to support the monastery. This link will continue: the castle will remain a benefit of the abbey, serving both as a protection for the royal city of Etampes and as a tax collection place for the benefit of the abbey Saint-Pierre-le-Vif de Sens.

Built between the 12th and 13th centuries, the castle adopts a square defensive structure flanked by two round towers, one of which has now disappeared. Originally without openings on the ground floor, it was modified in the 15th century by the addition of a door and a fireplace. The seigneury of Enzanville, dependent on the customs of Etampes (1556), passed into the hands of noble families: the Saint Lubin in the 15th century (Jean de Lubin, Grand Fauconnier de France in 1428), and the De Vidal from the 17th to the 18th century.

The De Vidal family deeply marks the history of the castle. André de Vidal (1643-1708), gendarme of the King's Guard, was lord in 1688. His grandson, Charles-Alexandre (1735-), lieutenant at the Royal Lorraine Regiment, was named Lord of Anzanville des Grands Chatellier in 1774. In 1789, the castle belonged to M. de Vidal de Lion, knight of Saint-Louis, present in the General States for the bailiwick of Etampes. After the Revolution, the estate changed hands several times, belonging to the Gougelet until 2013, then to Xavier Jeudon until 2019.

Described in 1896 as a "small fortress" which became "large farm", the castle of Enzanville illustrates the evolution of medieval buildings into agricultural buildings. Its square dungeon, flanked by a round tower, recalls its military past. The local archives, such as the Cartular de l'Yonne or the writings of Dom Basile Fleureau (1668), attest to his judicial and seigneurial role, with "high, medium and low justice" exercised by the Abbé de Sainte-Colombe.

The place's toponymy reflects its turbulent history: Enzanville in Beauce, Anzanville, or Auzanville in ancient texts. The castle, although transformed, preserves traces of its medieval architecture, testifying to its strategic importance for the Abbey of Sens and the crown of France, notably under Charles VI, whose privilege confirms the direct appeal of the causes to the Paris Parliament.

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