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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The hunting lodge of Abondant, also known as the pavilion of the Carré, was built in 1756 by order of Louis-Charles de Bourbon, last prince of Dombes and Count of Eu. Located in Dreux forest, it served as a hunting appointment at the crossroads of eight forest roads. This octagonal pavilion, surmounted by a roof terrace in a gazebo, was erected on the site of the Cross of the Carré, moved two kilometers south. Its architecture combines red bricks and stone, with windows right on the ground floor.

Inside, the ground floor houses a unique room with a marble fireplace and a screw staircase hidden behind woodwork. The floor, accessible by this staircase, serves four polygonal rooms initially used as changing rooms. The original woodwork, removed in 1880, is now on display in the octagonal living room of Sylvie's house, an outbuilding of Chantilly's castle. The pavilion, classified as Historic Monument in 1969, was renovated in 1972 and 1980.

The estate, which had become a national property during the Revolution, was returned to Marie-Adelaide de Bourbon, daughter of the Duke of Penthièvre, and then passed on to the family of Orléans. Sold to the state in 1917, it is now managed by the NFB and the Association des Amis de la Forêt de Dreux. Used as a wood and coal depot after World War I, it is now protected and open to rare visits.

The Dreux Forest, built in the 18th century for shooting and running hunting, had perpendicular aisles and star crossings. The pavilion, located at the crossroads Clementine, illustrates the importance of hunting in the organization of princely estates. After the death of Louis-Charles de Bourbon in 1775, his property, including the forest, returned to his nephew, Louis-Jean-Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre.

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