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Origin and history

The Château de Levesville, located on the dominant Chartres plateau, finds its origins at the end of the 11th century with the family of the lords of Levéville, vassals of the bishops of Chartres. These knights, mentioned in local cartulars like those of Saint-Père-en-Vallée, played an active role in defending the first Counts of Chartres for more than two centuries. Their weapons, preserved in seals from the Gaignières collection, attest to their regional influence.

Between 1479 and 1506, Michel Le Vacher dit de Levéville built a new castle lined with moat, with a main body, a drawbridge and an entrance castle. The enclosure, flanked by four towers pierced by firemouths, reflects the defensive needs of the era (muskets, snakes). A second enclosure, also protected by ditches and turrets, reinforces the fortification. This medieval castle will be partially dismantled in the 17th century.

In 1610, François III Briçonnet, king's adviser and master in the Chamber of Accounts, acquired the estate and undertook a reconstruction in the Louis XIII style. The facade in two-coloured bricks, the skylights and a campanile on the roof transform the appearance of the castle. Two of the four medieval towers are demolished and replaced by turret pavilions, while a chapel dedicated to Marie-Magdeleine is built nearby, the parish church being too far away. In 1656 the land of Levéville was erected as a chestnut by royal letters patent.

The castle underwent major improvements between 1860 and 1880 under the Barthélémy brothers, close to Alexander Dumas, who modernized the interiors (marble, parquet floors) and simplified the roof. During the Second World War, he was occupied by the Germans and then the Americans, before building a delinquent centre from 1946 to 1956. In 1976, its facades and roofs were inscribed in the Historical Monuments.

A notable episode of his history occurred in 1562 when Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, was imprisoned there by the Duke of Guise after the Battle of Dreux. Catherine de Médicis and members of the Royal Government go there to negotiate peace with the Huguenot leader, illustrating his strategic role during the religious wars.

The park, which has been reduced since 1971 by the creation of a subdivision, preserves ancient remains redeveloped into topiary gardens and a piece of water. The ifs, charms and aisles today structure a landscaped space redesigned, while the moats and towers recall its defensive past.

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