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Origin and history

The castle of Armainvilliers is a fief attested since the twelfth century, extending today to the communes of Tournan-en-Brie and Gretz-Armainvilliers. A first castle was mentioned there in the 14th century, becoming a refuge for François I in 1544 after the capture of Château-Thierry by Charles-Quint. It then served as a residence for local lords, including Beringhen's family in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In 1704 the estate was built as a county for Jacques Louis de Beringhen. It was partially destroyed during the Revolution, then acquired in 1808 by foreign exchange agent Claude Bailliot. Under the Restoration, he returned to the Duchess of Orleans before being restored by the La Rochefoucauld-Doudeauville at the Second Empire, which included woodwork from Bercy Castle.

Acquired in 1877 by Edmond de Rothschild, the castle was razed and replaced by a modern residence inspired by English style, with a park redesigned by Élie Lainé. During the two world wars, he served as an infirmary and was then occupied by the Germans. In the 1980s, he was bought by King Hassan II of Morocco, who rehabilitated him before his sale by Mohammed VI.

The historical descriptions of the 18th century (Dezallier d'Argenville, Piganiol de La Force, Dulaure) highlight the richness of its park, with ditches, maze, charmiles and ponds, reflecting its past prestige.

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