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Origin and history

The castle of Nogent-le-Roi came into being in the 15th century when Pierre de Brézé, the great senechal of Normandy, built a fortress on the site of an old castle after Charles VII had given him the seigneury around 1450. This castle, a symbol of seigneurial power, was destroyed during the French Revolution. In 1796 it was sold as a national property to Laurent Morin, architect at Chartres, who sold it two years later after demolishing much of it. Only a floor and cellars survived.

The present castle, of neo-Louis XIII style, was rebuilt in 1863 by architect Alfred Chapelain for a private owner. It incorporates 17th-century decorative elements (such as the crowns of Grogneul Castle) and typical Second Empire interiors, including a wind turbine that once fed the gardens. The medieval remains still visible include a courtine wall and two square towers, classified as Historical Monuments in 1993 with the wind turbine.

Prior to the 15th century, the seigneury of Nogent-le-Roi had a strategic importance: it was ceded by the Countess of Blois to Philippe-Auguste in 1218 and welcomed the kings Saint-Louis and Louis le Hardi (Louis VIII) in the 13th century. During the Hundred Years' War, the fortress was confiscated by the crown of France before being attributed to Pierre de Brézé. The present, though partial, remains bear witness to this turbulent history, between royal power, medieval conflicts and architectural transformations of the 19th and 20th centuries.

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