Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Bois-Boudran, located in Fontenailles in Seine-et-Marne, is an emblematic monument, part of which dates back to the 17th century. In the 19th century, the body of classical houses, oriented to the north, was enlarged by a First Empire wing to the south. This estate, acquired at the beginning of the 19th century by Count Jean-Henry-Louis Greffulhe, became a prestigious hunting site, before passing into the hands of his descendants, Counts Charles and Henry Greffulhe.

In the 19th century, Count Henry Greffulhe considerably expanded the estate (4,500 hectares) and built a monumental wing designed by architect Ernest Sanson. This wing, decorated in 18th century style by Georges Hoentschel, housed a theatre, a parlor and guest apartments. Unfortunately, it was demolished in the 1960s. The castle was also famous for its cynegetic library, partially sold in 1937.

Count Henry Graffulhe, a member of the House of Commons, and his wife, Countess Elizabeth Greffulhe, organized grueling hunting from September to January, attracting Presidents of the Republic and crowned European heads. Up to 30,000 pheasants were dropped in some years. The Countess, a worldly figure inspired by Marcel Proust and the painter Antonio de La Gandara, made it a meeting place for the intellectual and political elite.

Today integrated into the golf course of Fontenailles, the castle retains part of its original estate, where hunting is still organized. A collection of memories related to the Greffulhe and Gramont families will be distributed at the auction at the Drouot Hotel in October 2025, marking the end of an era for this historic place.

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