Origin of the seigneurial mansion vers 1150 (≈ 1150)
First seigneurial house on the current site.
1285
Two separate manors
Two separate manors 1285 (≈ 1285)
Presence of two separate buildings.
1475
Unification of manors
Unification of manors 1475 (≈ 1475)
Formation of a single fief called "La Fontaine".
1799-1821
Residence of Baron Fain
Residence of Baron Fain 1799-1821 (≈ 1810)
Secretary of Napoleon I and local mayor.
1902
Reconstruction of the castle
Reconstruction of the castle 1902 (≈ 1902)
André Saint built on medieval foundations.
1954
Become a university
Become a university 1954 (≈ 1954)
Integration with Evry.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Marquis d'Estaings Boucher d'Argis - Lawyer and author
Resident before the French Revolution.
Baron Fain - Secretary of Napoleon I
Mayor of Brétigny, reunites the estate.
André Saint - Owner reconstructor
Rebuilt the castle in 1902.
Origin and history
The Château de la Fontaine found its origins around 1150 with the building of a seigneurial house on its current location. In 1285, two separate manor houses occupied the site, before being reunited in 1475 to form a single fief. The name "La Fontaine" would come from a drinking water source that is now extinct, a central element of its historical identity.
Over the centuries, the castle welcomed notable figures such as the Marquis d'Estaings Boucher d'Argis, a lawyer and victim of the French Revolution, or Baron Fain, secretary of Napoleon I and mayor of Brétigny-sur-Orge between 1799 and 1821. The latter contributes to the reunification of the domain after revolutionary upheavals.
In the 20th century, the castle underwent a major reconstruction in 1902 by André Saint, which preserved its medieval foundations. The park is embellished with statues still visible today. The estate changed hands several times, from the Boussac Brothers to a family of local farmers, before being acquired by the municipality. During the Second World War, it housed a Catholic boarding school.
The castle, transformed into a university site, became in 1954 the third pole of the IUT of Évry. Its park, opened to the public in 1976, and its outbuildings are now integrated into the UTU, which expanded there in the 1990s. Municipal projects are considering the restoration of historic moats and basins.
