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Origin and history

The castle of Nangis, also known as Château de La Motte, is a former castle located in the heart of the city of Nangis, in the Seine-et-Marne. Its name evokes a castral motte, indicating a medieval origin. It served as a refuge for the local population during the Hundred Years' War, although the English damaged it in 1429. Originally he belonged to Fleury, son of King Philip I of France, before moving to the house of Montmorency in 1245. Reconstructed in 1436 by Denis de Chailly, rewarded by Charles VII for his support of Joan d'Arc, it became a modern fortress.

In 1507 Louis de Brichanteau, by his marriage to Marie de Vères, became lord of Nangis. His family kept the estate until the Revolution. In the 16th century, Antoine de Brichanteau modernized the houses, and the seigneury was erected as a marquisate in 1612. The castle was even visited by Louis XIV in 1678. After the Revolution, the last Marquis, Anne-Louis de Regnier de Guerchy, ruined, sold it in 1795 to a Parisian notary, who destroyed two of its three wings.

Acquired by the municipality in 1859, the castle became the town hall of Nangis. Today, it retains medieval elements such as moats, two corner towers and a cylindrical tower with arches. Six portraits of the wedding hall, classified as historical monuments in 1909, recall its prestigious past. Although the building is not classified, it still bears witness to its turbulent history, notably through the passage of Jeanne d'Arc to the dungeon via the drawbridge.

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