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Origin and history

The castle of Vaux, located in Fouchères in the Dawn, is built in the eighteenth century on the ruins of an ancient 17th century seigneurial house, described as surrounded by walls and ditches. In 1720, a fire ravaged the estate, saving only the chapel. Jacques d'Aubeterre, then owner and Count of Vaux, entrusted the reconstruction to architect Germain Boffrand, famous for his work at the castle of Lunéville. The work, gratifying, will cost according to oral tradition a million pounds and will mobilize seventy mules to transport the stones of Tonnerre.

The castle, completed around 1750 under Claude-Joseph de La Rue, Count of Mareilles, is distinguished by its symmetrical facades in white stone, its attic at La Mansart, and its carved decorations inspired by mythology. The central forebody on the court of honour features a pediment decorated with the coat of arms of the Maupas, unicorns evoking Thibault de Champagne, and bas-reliefs of hunting trophies. Inside, woodwork, marble fireplaces and Versailles parquet floors bear witness to the fascist of the time. The estate changed hands several times, passing from d'Aubeterre to Rémond de Montmort, then to Charlemagne-Émile de Maupas, prefect of police under Napoleon III, which undertook major renovations in the 19th century.

After a period of abandonment from 1937 to 2015, the castle was bought by Édouard Guyot, who launched its restoration and opened it to the public. In July 2024, he suffered a robbery of historical objects, including a Louis XV cartel and Napoleon III candelabras engraved with the arms of the Maupas. The castle has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1980 for its facades, roofs and interior elements, and has enjoyed extensive protection in its park, bridge and outbuildings since 2020.

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