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Origin and history

The castle of Brou, located in Brou-sur-Chantereine in Seine-et-Marne, has its origins in the early seventeenth century. The fief was acquired in 1608 by Denys I. Feydeau, a financial and secretary to King Henry IV, from a family in the process of annoyance. The dovecote, dating from 1545, is the oldest structure in the estate. The present castle was rebuilt in the second half of the 17th century, becoming the country residence of the Feydeau family of Brou, a line of royal stewards and state councillors.

The 18th century marked a phase of major transformations under Paul Esprit Feydeau de Brou (1682-1767), keeping the seals of Louis XV. The works include the removal of the central staircase in favour of two side stairs, optimizing room space. In 1761, the estate, enlarged by the fief neighbour of Pomponne, was erected as a marquisat for his son, Antoine-Paul-Joseph Feydeau. The family, close to the Bourbons, saw Charles-Henri Feydeau (1754-1802) attending the priesthood of Louis XVI in 1775 and obtaining the "entry of the king's chamber" in 1783.

In the 19th century, the castle changed its hands: sold in 1844 by Charles-Marie-Chrétien Le Clerc de Juigné to Charles-Floréal Thiébaut, a bronze founder in Parisian art, whose descendants still owned it. Ranked a historical monument in 1984, the castle and its outbuildings (pigeon, commons, 35 hectares park) were restored between 1989 and 1992. Today, the estate is rented for events and shootings, perpetuating its cultural heritage.

The dovecote, built in 1545, illustrates the utilitarian architecture of the period with its two levels of bolts and its circular cellar of fruit conservation. Accelerated to the stables, he testifies to the agricultural organisation of the estate. The commons, including a still visible horse basin, complete this historic ensemble.

The castle was used as a setting for several film and musical productions, including the film Caroline Chérie (1951), the Libertine clips by Mylène Farmer and Voyage, a trip by Desireless (1986), and the Second Breath by Alain Corneau (2007). These shoots highlight its aesthetic appeal and its anchoring in popular culture.

Ranked in 1984 for its facades, roofs, interior staircases, ground floor lounges and park, the Château de Brou embodies the architectural and social evolution of a noble family at the service of the kings of France, from the Bourbons to the Revolution. Its history also reflects economic changes, from royal financiers to 19th-century industrialists.

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