Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Ognon, mentioned in 1197, belonged to the family of Ognon before passing to the hands of the La Fontaine in the 16th century. This seigneurial estate, located in the Oise, was marked by royal visits, especially those of Louis XII and Francis I. The La Fontaine, close to the courtyard, embellished the park and the castle, adding statues and architectural elements inspired by Italy.

In the 17th century, Maximilien Titon, a supplier of arms to Louis XIV, bought the property in ruins and undertook major restoration work. He enlarged the park, created a mirror of water and garden factories, transforming Ognon into a jewel of French gardens. The work was perhaps influenced by André Le Nôtre, although this remains a hypothesis.

The castle knew several owners, including the Caix de Saint-Aymour in the 19th century, who left it abandoned. In 1881, banker Charles Amédée Demachy demolished the old castle to build a neo-renaissance residence, while entrusting landscaper Louis-Sulpice Varé with the creation of an English garden. The park, which was listed as a historic monument in 1990, preserves major features such as gloriettes, the water mirror and statues.

During the two world wars, the area suffered considerable damage, particularly during military occupations. In 1957, the castle, which became uninhabitable, was demolished, leaving only the commons, the orangery and the entrance gate. Today, the park, restored by the Seillière de Laborde family, remains an exceptional testimony of the art of gardens between the 17th and 19th centuries.

The statues of the park, attributed to artists such as Guillaume Berthelot or Collignon, illustrate the evolution of styles between Renaissance and Classicism. Some, such as those of the Four Vertus or the Four World Parties, could come from gifts from Mary of Medici. The estate, although not open to the public at all times, is visited at European Heritage Days.

The Château d'Ognon thus embodies centuries of French history, combining architecture, the art of gardens and great names, from La Fontaine to Seillière, as well as the artisans and landscapers who shaped this emblematic place of Hauts-de-France.

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