Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Saint-Hubert was built between 1755 and 1758 by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, first architect of King Louis XV, near the ponds of Pourras near Perray-en-Yvelines. Originally intended as a simple hunting lodge to house the king during its parts in the forest of Yveline, it quickly became a real royal residence thanks to successive enlargements between 1761 and 1772. The castle had up to 150 apartments, a house for 25 guests, and buildings of communes surrounding a courtyard closed by pavilions.

The interior decor, including the lounge decorated with stucco painted by Clerici and arms of light chiseled by Caffieri, was complemented by works by renowned artists such as Slodtz, Pigalle, Falconet, or Carle van Loo. Louis XV carried out work there until his death, but Louis XVI, judging the castle too small, abandoned it after the purchase of Rambouillet Castle in 1783. By 1785 the wings of the communes were demolished, followed by the total destruction of the castle in 1855. Today, there is only a terrace on the Pourras pond.

The initial project of Louis XV included the creation of a small town around the castle, as evidenced by the uniform houses of the present village. Some elements, such as the grid of the castle of the Mesnuls (installed in 1795) or the painting La Conversion de Saint Hubert de Carle van Loo preserved in Rambouillet, could come from Saint-Hubert. In the 20th century, its architecture inspired the castle of Neighbors, built by Ernest Sanson and René Sergent for the Count of Fels.

Historical sources mention extensive studies on this ephemeral castle, including the works of Georges Poisson, Jean-Marie Peruise de Montclos, and Isabelle Gensollen. This research highlights his role in the history of the French royal residences and the lasting influence of his architect, Angel-Jacques Gabriel.

External links