Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Marlière is a master's house built in 1841 by Théophile Legrand, an industrial pioneer of wool spinning in Fourmies. Located on Rue Théophile-Legrand, this brick and blue stone building embodies the economic boom linked to the textile industry in the North in the 19th century. Its eclectic architecture, inspired by the Louis XIII style, reflects the prosperity of its sponsor, founder of a spinning in 1825.

Theophile Legrand acquired the land around 1927 (date uncertain in the sources) from Baron Salmon Roger, including the Marlière estate. The residence, made up of 34 original pieces, remained in his family for a century, marked by alliances such as the Boutard and Mandron. World wars weakened the wool industry, leading to the sale of the castle in 1944.

The estate successively became a religious boarding school (1944-1950), a domestic school (until the 1980s), then fell into disuse until 2002. Saved by a Parisian family, it was bought in 2014 by descendants of Legrand, the Cambier, to open a three-star hotel. In 2021, the La Filature restaurant moved to the site of the old factory, continuing the link with the industrial history of the site.

The name Marlière comes from the Marlère pickard (marne career), highlighting the geographical anchor. The one-hectare park, overlooking the Help Minor Valley, offers views of the Malakoff factory, the heart of the Legrand textile empire. Today, the castle combines heritage and modernity, bearing witness to the industrial heritage of the Hauts-de-France.

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