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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Grand'maisons, located in Villepreux near Versailles, has its origins in the early eighteenth century. In 1706, Pierre François de Francini, royal fontainerier and descendant of Thomas de Francini (fontainier of Henri IV), obtained the seigneury of Villepreux, erected in 1707. When he died in 1720, his son François Henri de Francini began the transformation of the Grand'Maisons hotel into a more modern castle, although the works remained unfinished until the 19th century. Ruined, Honoré de Francini, his heir, sold the seigneury to Louis XVI in 1768, before the estate passed into the hands of architect François Heurtier in 1779, via a legal maneuver linked to the crown.

In 1802, the castle was ceded to Pierre Jacques Dubois-Desmeures, then acquired in 1811 by Thomas Jean Baptiste Merlin, already owner of the adjacent farm through his marriage to Marie-Françoise-Claudine Tricard. This meeting of the two properties allowed Augustine Bertin de Veaux, daughter of Marie-Françoise and heiress in 1826, to complete the east wing of the castle and to develop a literary salon frequented by romantic figures such as Chateaubriand, Berlioz or Corot. The estate, enriched with art collections, books (2,500 volumes) and furniture signed by renowned cabinetmakers, remained in the Bertin de Veaux family until the 20th century.

Partially classified as historical monuments in 1970 for its facades, roofs and blue salons, the castle suffered the hazards of the two world wars. In 2016, after the death of Luc Le Guz de Saint Seine, the heirs sold the collections (4 million euros), ending two centuries of family heritage. The site, open to the public for visits and accommodation, illustrates the architectural and cultural evolution of the 18th and 19th centuries in Île-de-France.

Orangery, built around 1720 with materials from the destroyed mansion, and the Empire and Restoration lounges testify to the delight of the place. Family portraits, signed by Girodet-Trioson, Ingres or Lehmann, as well as statues such as the Psych of Tenerani (world auction record), highlight the artistic importance of the estate. The cabinetmakers Bernard Molitor and Jacob-Desmalter, as well as the bindings of Bozerian or Thouvenin, complete this exceptional heritage.

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