Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Escorpain, located in the Eure-et-Loir 15 km from Dreux, replaces in the 16th century a medieval seigneurial house. Built by the Vieuxpont family, it has facades made of bricks and flint, with two slender towers. Pierre de Vieuxpont, captain of light horses, oversees its construction around 1630, while crosses of Malta adorn the walls, testifying to the influence of his brother Guillaume, knight of this order.

In the 18th century, the castle passed into the hands of several owners, including René Poultier, notary of Paris and freemason, who considerably expanded the estate. During the Revolution, Poultier, now a farmer, actively supported Republican ideals and organized patriotic celebrations in the castle. In 1798, the estate was sold to Amboise-Théodore Béjot, brother-in-law of his deceased son, marking the end of the Poultier era.

In the 19th century, General Joseph-Christophe Coüin de Granchamp, hero of the Napoleonic countryside, acquired the castle in 1804. He added entrance pavilions, a canal to dry up the swamps, and exposed the tools of his weaver parents. His son, Edward, further expanded the estate by buying Champillon's farm in 1841. From 1879, Alfred Firmin-Didot, a passionate printer of veneration, radically transformed the castle into a neo-Gothic style under the direction of architect Marchant, a pupil of Viollet-le-Duc. A monacal library is set up in an old sheepfold, and the facades are enhanced with medieval motifs.

The castle, left abandoned after 1966, was saved in 2008 by Charles Firmin-Didot, who began his restoration. The outbuildings (pigeons, stables, library) and gardens, classified as historical monuments in 2002, are preserved. Today, the estate hosts exhibitions and cultural events, while preserving its wild character and its architectural heritage combining Renaissance, Classicism and neo-Gothic.

The estate initially covered 238 hectares under Coüin, including vineyards, woods and ploughable land. Ancient plans reveal a court of honor framed by commons, a dovecote, and a vegetable garden. The Firmin-Didots added a promenade and a wrought iron gate, while the nearby parish church benefited from their donations. The architecture reflects these historical strata: Renaissance towers, neo-Gothic pavilions, and redesigned interior decorations, such as the 19th century chapel.

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