Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Mésangère, located in Bosguerard-de-Marcouville in Normandy, replaces an earlier building mentioned in 1337 and destroyed in 1592. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, it was rebuilt surrounded by ditches, and its park was built around 1663 according to a plan attributed to André Le Nôtre. This park includes radiant avenues, statues, a dovecote dated 1674, and booms. Work continued until 1675, with additions such as a wrought iron gate and a stone bridge.

In the 18th century, the park was enriched with mythological statues carved by Mille. The castle, which remained unfinished, was enlarged in 1740 by a utility building to the west. At the end of the 18th century, interior works were carried out, and the entrance gate was moved from the castle of Fumechon. A final construction campaign began in 1900. The estate, which belonged to families such as the Fay, Scots, and the Fumechon Christian, was listed as a Historic Monument in 2015.

The castle welcomed Jean de La Fontaine, invited by Marguerite Hessein de La Sablière, whose daughter had married Guillaume Scot, seigneur of the place. The park, classified as a natural site since 1925, includes remarkable elements such as the "King James' Tonnale" and a statutory ensemble. The estate was passed through several families until 2013, before being fully classified for its built and landscaped heritage.

The protected elements include the castle, small castle, orangery, dovecote, as well as the park with its statues, walls and perspectives. The plan of the park, signed by landscape architect René-Edouard André in 1933, reflects its evolution. The estate illustrates the art of French gardens and aristocratic architecture of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Normandy.

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