Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Domaine de la Mésangère, located in Saint-Pierre-du-Bosguerard in the Eure, finds its origins in the 14th century with a building mentioned in 1337, destroyed in 1592. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, the present castle was rebuilt, surrounded by ditches. Between 1663 and 1675 André Le Nôtre drew the park, including statues, a bridge, moats and seven radiant avenues. The dovecote, dated 1674, marks the end of the major works of this period.

In the 18th century, the park was enriched with mythological statues by the sculptor Mille, and the castle was enlarged in 1740. At the end of the century, interior arrangements were made, and the grid of the Fumechon castle was moved to the site. The estate, originally owned by the Fay family, passed to the Scots in 1654, then to several families until 2013. Jean de La Fontaine stayed there, invited by Marguerite Hessein de La Sablière, and wrote two fables.

The park was classified as a natural site in 1925, and the entire estate (castle, orangery, dovecote, park and statuary) was listed as a Historic Monument in 2008, and was classified in 2015. The last changes date back to 1900, consolidating its architectural and landscape heritage.

External links