Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Méry-sur-Oise came into being in the 14th century, when Pierre I of Orgemont, Chancellor of France, erected a fortress there between 1375 and 1389. An underground room, which remains, bears witness to this period. King Charles V frequently stayed there, and Pierre d'Orgemont continued writing the Great Chronicles of France. The seigneury then passed into the hands of his descendants, including Nicolas d'Orgemont, involved in a Burgundy plot in 1417, before being confiscated and then returned.

In the 16th century, Claude d'Orgemont, ruined by the wars of religion, rebuilt almost entirely the castle around 1584. Despite financial difficulties, he maintains a gruelling lifestyle. In 1597, the estate was sold to Antoine I of Saint-Chamans, close to Henry IV, who embellished with art works and luxurious decorations. His petit-neve, François II de Saint-Chamans, undertook major restorations in 1697, adding a southern facade of classical style.

In the 18th century, the castle passed to the Molé and Lamaonion families by alliance. Bonne-Félicité Bernard, wife of Mathieu-François Molé, orders landscape modifications with the help of Buffon. During the Revolution, the estate escaped seizure and was passed on to Félicité Molé, who married Pierre-Christian de Lamonion. The latter transforms French-style gardens into an English-style park. In 1823 Marie-Louise de Lamonion married Adolphe de Ségur, giving birth to the lineage of Ségur-Lamonion, owners until 1976.

The castle, registered as a historical monument in 1937, was bought by the municipality in 2004 after belonging to Vivendi. Today, it houses a hotel and seminar centre, while its partially classified park remains accessible to the public. Its history reflects the political and social upheavals of the Île-de-France, from the wars of Religion to the Industrial Revolution.

The site also served as a cinematic setting, notably for When to Pass the Pheasants (1965) and Chocolate (2016), with Omar Sy. The vestiges of 19th-century landscape developments, such as the experimental botanical garden designed by Pascal Cribier, remain despite an irregular maintenance.

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