Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Butard Pavilion was built between 1750 and 1754 by architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel on the orders of Louis XV, on a plot of the Bois des Hubies acquired by Louis XIV in 1683. This hunting lodge, originally called the Hubies Pavilion, was part of a set including a dairy, stable and guardhouse. It served as a resort for Louis XV and Louis XVI during hunting parties, before being seized as a national good in 1794 during the Revolution.

Sold to a Parisian notary then acquired by Josephine de Beauharnais in 1802, the property returned to the state in 1809 after his divorce. Napoleon III had it restored in 1854 and returned to the domain of Versailles, but the outbuildings were destroyed, except the guardhouse. The building was destroyed in 1870 by the Prussians, but it fell into disuse before being praised to such personalities as Paul Poiret (1911–1717), who organized memorable festivals there, or Edmond Blanc, a horse breeder.

In the 20th century, the pavilion will house an ephemeral museum (1933–1944), serve as a refuge after the Liberation, and will be associated with political affairs such as the "pink ballet" in 1959. Ranked a historic monument in 1927, it remains owned by the State, managed by the National Forestry Board. In 2015, there was legal opposition to a proposed sale, and in 2019, the National Monuments Centre showed an interest in its acquisition.

From an architectural point of view, the pavilion is distinguished by its carved pediment representing a wild boar hunt, its vestibule with checkered floors, and its circular living room with woodwork destroyed in 1870. The changes of 1860, such as the suppression of dependencies, partially altered its original structure. Today, it embodies a preserved royal and forest heritage, although threatened by divestment plans.

The site, accessible by the Butard Road, is located on the edge of the Fausses-Reposes State Forest, near Vaucresson. Its history reflects French political changes, from monarchies to the Republic, empires and wars. The interiors, classified in 2024, still bear witness to its past fascist, despite the vicissitudes suffered over the centuries.

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