castles for sale Champagne Ardenne, France

Ref.4464 : French listed château for sale in Haute-Marne department. This chateau, a major building in the region, is located in Haute-Marne (52), between Champagne and Lorraine, in a rural village in the heart of the Sueurre valley, dominated by two wooded hills. From the outside, a trained eye will notice the rusticated stone gateway, where the spires of the old drawbridge are embedded. This gateway is adorned with a sculpted stone facade characteristic of the second French Renaissance. Only the pedestrian entrance is used today, while the main entrance is via the main gate through the park. Just 500 metres outside the village, there is a supermarket for everyday needs, while the town of Chaumont, with its many shops and services, can be reached in 20 minutes (24 km). The A5 motorway is half an hour away, making it possible to reach Paris in 3 hours. The nearest airports are Strasbourg (230 km), Basel-Mulhouse (250 km) and Lyon (325 km). Ideally located on the route of the abbeys and châteaux of Haute-Marne, the château offers privileged access to renowned historic sites such as the Abbaye de la Crête and the Abbaye des Sept Fontaines. Nearby, you can enjoy a 9-hole golf course at Arc-en-Barrois (48 km) and several horse-riding centres, the nearest being 15 km away. There are also plenty of tourist attractions in the surrounding area, including the Domaine des Trois Forêts (Center Parcs), Colombey-les-Deux-Églises with La Boisserie, the family home of General de Gaulle, and the Charles de Gaulle Memorial. The village's main street passes in front of the gatehouse, without generating any noise pollution, as the ground floor rooms have double windows, as was customary under Louis XV, and the bedrooms overlook the courtyard of honour, on the parkland side. Its sober defensive facade is not eye-catching, but it supports a garden level that is entirely vaulted with 16th-century ribbed ceilings. The ornamentation is a moving testimony to the Louis XV period. Add to this the superimposition of different architectural styles, from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, the century of industry, and you have a plunge into the strata of history that is sure to whet your curiosity. The gatehouse overlooking the road is no longer used. Today, the entrance is via the gravelled main courtyard overlooking the park. The façade on the courtyard side has just been professionally refurbished, adding even more splendour to this vast château with its 1,400sqm of living space. The ground floor and 1st floor offer around 740sqm of living space each, with ceiling heights of around 4.5 metres. On the ground floor, you enter through the main door into the interior of the porter's house. You will notice a mosaic with gold tesserae on the ceiling and frescoes of sea anchors. To the left is a vestibule with the start of the 1st Empire wooden grand staircase leading to the 1st floor. Following on from the vestibule is the VIP dining room, a beautiful noble space (approx. 55 sqm) with natural wood panelling, an imposing Louis XV Rococo fireplace and fine china cabinets. The ceiling features a gypsum Maltese cross. Further on, a vaulted living room with ribbed ceilings highlights an architectural feature characteristic of the Middle Ages. The parquet floors are herringbone, as throughout the château. A double door gives access to the crockery room with its stone and zinc sink. This vaulted room, now used as a reception room, leads to the 18th-century entrance hall with its white Lorraine stone staircase and wrought-iron banister by Jean Lamour, then on to the large Louis XV drawing room in the left wing. Everything here is wood panelled and richly decorated, like the frescoes of horns of plenty. There is also a beautiful Louis XV Rococo-style fireplace and double windows. The Grand Salon is extended by another salon, known as the ‘Bird Salon’, entirely panelled in Louis XV style and adorned with a white marble Rocaille fireplace. It is decorated with Restoration period furniture and a French billiard table (Charles X). The firebacks all bear the coat of arms of Guillaume Tavernier de Boullonge, treasurer of Louis XV's extraordinary war department, who had the château rebuilt in 1766. The south tower houses a toilet and a linen room with a fireplace under its barrel vault (formerly the castle chapel). From the gateway, in the centre of the main courtyard, a corridor decorated with hunting trophies leads off to the right to a monumental kitchen topped by a ribbed vault. The kitchen is the size of the château. Everything is still as it was in the 16th and 17th centuries: vegetable garden, cast-iron oven, copper fountain, collection of copperware and porcelain and, more recently, the labels of the wines that were served. On the right, as you leave the kitchen, there is a notice board used to call the servants. Once you have passed the staff dining room (designed to seat 15 people), which adjoins the kitchen, you will come to a surprisingly bright white room. This dairy, all carved stone, had to be spotlessly clean. It is richly decorated with a collection of copper and pewter (*). Further on, you come to the square north tower housing a vaulted room (here, as in the kitchen, the main dining room and the adjoining drawing room, in the old medieval main building) that served as a guard room. From here, a stone spiral staircase leads to the 1st floor. The right wing features a series of lounges on the ground floor, a summer kitchen and a toilet, accessed via an exterior door leading to the courtyard of the outbuildings. In the left wing, after passing through the entrance protected by a beautiful marquise, you will discover Napoleon's bedroom upstairs. Legend has it that he spent a night here! This generously sized room has Louis XV panelling and an alcove that blend harmoniously with the furniture, fireplace and trumeau from the First Empire. This was the bedroom of Duke Decrès. A warm note emanates from the adjoining study, thanks to a pale yellow ‘bee’ wallpaper. The atmosphere here is almost ‘intimate’, despite the weight of the history it contains. It is conceivable that the maritime aspect of the Egyptian campaign was developed in this room.... Behind the alcove is a toilet and a hidden staircase leading to a servant's bedroom on the mezzanine floor. Still on the first floor, a bathroom opens onto a long corridor that leads to the Duke's bedroom, his study and a landing that opens onto a library. The Duke Decrès's sea charts add a touch of the exotic to this place dedicated to travel and exploration. You can continue your exploration by taking the corridor leading from the library to the bedroom and sitting room of the Duke of Albufera. The first floor of the south tower has two bedrooms, one with fine Louis XV panelling and an alcove, a bathroom and a toilet. Further on, on the landing of the grand staircase leading to the main entrance, you will come across an imposing studded door, sheathed in leather, which marks the passageway to the flats of Duchesse Decrès. A flat overlooking the park has been entirely dedicated to her, with a complete suite: bedroom with Louis XV panelling and white marble rocaille fireplace, back door to a dressing room (formerly a hidden passageway), study with fireplace, bathroom with wc, sitting room with Louis XV panelling and rocaille fireplace, then a panelled bedroom opening onto a small bathroom. In this intimate space, on the scale of the place, the Louis XV panelling and a back door lend themselves to the play of romantic intrigue. The same cannot be said of the flats of the Marquis de Bonnevilliers, located in the right wing. Comprising a large drawing room and a bedroom followed by a bathroom with toilet in the gallery, this suite has a more masculine feel. Other rooms, notably in the towers and on the ground floor to the north, including a summer kitchen, make up almost the entire residence. We'll stop here to leave a little more room for surprise when you discover all the rooms in this castle, of which there are more than 35. You'll need just a few minutes to find your way around this exceptional residence, which is steeped in history both large and small, with anecdotes sure to crop up and the invisible people, the servants, whose moving traces can be found in the attic.... * Furniture is not included in the sale. The outbuildings include: a bakery, a laundry room, a large barn, two stables, a tack room, an upstairs service flat, a coach house, a workshop, a cow shed, a laundry room, a hen house and a dovecote. The ceilings in the stable are recent, but the rest of the rooms are in original condition. The wood-fired boiler in the stables, overhauled in 2021, will need to be relaunched. The caretaker's cottage, built over vaulted cellars, comprises a living room with kitchen, three bedrooms, a bathroom and two bedrooms upstairs. It is heated by an oil-fired boiler and has a vegetable garden with a tool shed and a kennel. At the southern end of the estate is the imposing main gate, recently restored. Let the gentle tinkling of the River Sueurre, which runs through the estate, be your guide as you enter the grounds. Following a pleasant path through the undergrowth, known as the ‘3 springs’, you will cross three bridges spanning several branches of the river. On the right is a pond with still, dark waters, contrasting with the quivering of a small waterfall downstream. An ancient gazebo, witness to a past that was also glorious, stands next to an old fishpond that was once poisoned. As you walk up the bridle path towards the château, the coolness of the tall trees will make you forget the heatwave for a moment. Others won't mind, like the squealing children who can splash about and play on the beach set up for them on the banks of the Sueurre. Further on, an ancient semi-circular open-air theatre occupies the site of the Renaissance garden bordered by two turrets and a rose garden. A dovecote, as straight as an I, acts as a mineral punctuation mark in a planted environment. The English-style park features woods (around 1.5 hectares), meadows, rivers and springs. It is enclosed by a stone wall and a wire fence. Overlooking the park, with the façade of the château in the background, are the remains of an orangery built in 1830. A sundial sits in the middle of the main courtyard. Facing the park designed in 1855 for Princess Mathilde, the estate once stretched as far as the forest, which can be seen in the distance. Copses of trees line either side of a gently sloping lawn, extended by pastoral meadows. There is not a single modern-day scar to disturb this unchanging landscape, worthy of a posthumous William Turner painting. From all the rooms overlooking the south-east façade, you'll be swept away by the view and a delightfully romantic atmosphere, filled with reveries and autumnal dawns. The total surface area of the property is 11.70 acres (4ha 73a 60ca). Cabinet LE NAIL – Aube - Mr Michel FLOIRAT : +33(0)2.43.98.20.20 Michel FLOIRAT, Individual company, registered in the Special Register of Commercial Agents, under the number 404 179 657. We invite you to visit our website Cabinet Le Nail to browse our latest listings or learn more about this property.

2.5 hours from the center of Paris, 1.5 hours from Dijon, south of Champagne, 15 minutes from a train station. On the edge of immense forests, in appreciable calm and tranquility, 42 acre property in the heart of a region steeped in history. This contiguous estate with its mansion of approximately 700 m2 of living space has outbuildings to be renovated from top to bottom. Its pleasure park is surrounded by walls with entrance gates. Chapel. L-shaped mansion. On the garden level. - Main part built in the 1820s with beautiful reception rooms. - At the rear, in an older part of the 17th century, access via interior courtyard and communicating with the lounges on the south facade. - To the east of the main facade, old part to be completely renovated (uninhabitable as it is) with entrance to courtyard. First floor. Several rooms to renovate with bathrooms. Former service rooms, clock turret. Ideal for family projects, guest rooms, large capacity for reception activities. The outbuildings to be completely restored consist of: an old dwelling house, a dovecote, a ruined 14th century Cistercian barn with a floor area of ​​800 m2 to be recovered from its ruins, stables, an old forge, a sheepfold.

iad France - Fabien Moreau (06 76 49 79 81) offers you: Château de Saron-sur-Aube: Elegance and History in the Heart of ChampagneDescription:Dive into history with this magnificent 16th-century castle, located in Saron-sur-Aube, in the heart of the Marne. Former lordship of the Bochart de Champigny, this property is a testament to French astronomy of the 17th and 18th centuries, having hosted figures such as Jean Bochart de Saron and Charles Messier. Mentioned in the archives of the Academy of Sciences, this site has witnessed major astronomical discoveries, such as the observation of the transit of Venus in 1769 and the determination of the trajectory of Uranus in 1781.The castle is surrounded by a walled park of 2 hectares, adorned with centenary trees, linden trees, and bicentennial boxwoods, as well as a majestic three-hundred-year-old plane tree. An entrance courtyard and a garden with wrought iron gates open onto the village. The gently sloping park includes a body of water, an outdoor swimming pool, and a small greenhouse, offering a picturesque and soothing perspective.Architecture and Interior:Built in 1560 with wings added in 1750, the castle features homogeneous 18th-century architecture. Facing south, it extends over four levels and has Mansard roofs covered with slate. The façades are adorned with stone and brick chain ornamentation framing tall windows with small panes.- Ground floor: The main entrance opens onto a vast hall with Versailles parquet and an oak grand staircase. The large south-facing living room offers breathtaking views of the park and the pond. Period woodwork, ornamental fireplaces with trumeau mirrors, and flooring tiled with cabochon or Versailles parquet adorn the rooms.- First floor: A large landing leads to several bedrooms with refined woodwork, marble fireplaces, and 18th-century windows. A modernized Empire-style bathroom and additional bedrooms with English-style parquet offer luxurious comfort.- Second floor: The converted attic includes four simple yet elegant bedrooms, created from the wood of a noble sycamore tree. Additional free-use rooms and a multipurpose room complete this level.- Cellars: The vaulted cellars from the 16th century add undeniable historical charm.Park and Exteriors:The gently sloping park houses a pond, an orchard, and a vegetable garden. A heated outdoor pool and a small greenhouse are located to the west, sheltered by the imposing neighboring church.This champagne castle offers a perfect combination of three centuries of history, with a predominance of the 18th century. The sober and elegant interiors make it a comfortable family home, both spacious and intimate. The historic winter garden is ideal for an artist's studio or friendly events. Authentic and refined, this property is a unique opportunity in the heart of the Champagne wine region.Cadastral area: 2 haSurface of the main building: 540 m²Number of Bedrooms: 9For more information or to schedule a private visit, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or by email.Agency fees charged to the seller. Energy display information for this property: ENERGY class G index 339 and CLIMATE class G index 107. Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the Géorisques website: www.georisques.gouv.fr. This real estate advertisement has been drafted under the editorial responsibility of Mr. Fabien Moreau EI (ID 80888), independent real estate agent (without holding funds), commercial agent of the SAS I@D France registered with the REIMS Trade and Companies Register under number 982745143, holding the real estate canvassing card on behalf of the company I@D France SAS. Find all our properties on our website. www.iadfrance.frThis description has been automatically translated from French.

Discover the charm of the magnificent Château de Manois, located on the edge of one of the French Champagne regions. Once a residence of a noble family, this historical jewel with its medieval origins and Renaissance annex still exudes elegance and grandeur. Thanks to recent restorations, the castle remains a true monument of cultural heritage and conveys a timeless allure with its well-preserved façade and classic interior that reflects the entire history of France. The castle enjoys a plot of 8,936 m², overlooking an idyllic garden and boasts a living area of no less than 485 m²! The interior is divided into several living spaces, 10 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a relaxation room, a usable attic, an authentic wine cellar, as well as its own chapel. There are a dozen fireplaces, some dating back to the Renaissance. During the Second World War, soldiers stayed there (drawings are still visible on the walls of the attic). There are also 6 covered garages and at least as many parking spaces. Furthermore, it is possible to take over the vast collection of antiques. With a rich history and authentic architecture, the castle offers a unique opportunity to own a piece of French history. Contact us for more information and to schedule a visit. Agency reference: 2674This description has been automatically translated from French.

At the gates of Troyes, in the footsteps of Charles Perrault, a 16th and 18th-century chateau, listed as a historical monument, surrounded by moats on 12 5-hectare grounds. If it is possible to retrace the genealogy of the lords of this domain from 1222 up until 1688, there is little information on the edifice’s initial construction. Only an order made on 3 July 1585 with a quarry worker in Polisy regarding the delivery of two hundred Polisot stone blocks makes it possible to date the construction of the main building more precisely. Many lords succeeded one another over the years, but in the 17th century, Charles Perrault, a son-in-law of the owner, would make his own mark here when Jean de La Fontaine, Boileau, Voiture, Fontenelle and other members of the French Academy would gather here during the summer months. The property is discreetly located at the end of a residential neighbourhood. The group of buildings are situated around a main courtyard surrounded by moats with water, while the grounds extend over three of its sides with a tennis court. Remarkably designed, and from which six shady pathways spread out in a star-shaped pattern in all directions, are two outside dance floors, one of which is bathed in light, while the other, under a verdant canopy, is a little more shaded. From the street, a large pavilion opens onto the main courtyard via an entrance gate, which is preceded by a footbridge spanning the moats. To the right of the gate, there is the guardhouse building and, to the left, the outbuildings, supported by buttresses and bordered by a small tower. On the other side of the courtyard is the main Renaissance-era building, connected by an intermediary building to a half-timbered dwelling. At a right angle, a long classical wing from the 18th century is extended at the other end by two older bays and flanked at the rear by a small square corner tower with arrow slits. On the other side of the terreplein, past the polygonal dovecote, which abuts a swimming pool, the outbuildings that surrounded the courtyard have been entirely restored and converted for residential use with a swimming pool. Their back façades face a large canal that extends to the end of the grounds.

This farmhouse chateau of Maison à Bar, located in the Ardennes. 20 km from the beautiful Poursaudes golf course, Charleville and its lovely Louis XIII ducal square are 30 km away. The A34 highway connects Belgium (Brussels 2H), Reims (1H), Paris via A4 (2H30) and Luxembourg city (1H30).Comprising 235 m² of living space on a plot of approximately 3.78 hectares, this property in a very quiet environment offers many possibilities.Classified as a historical monument, it was built in the first half of the 17th century.This property is presented to you by Jérôme de Fierlant +33(0)6 84 18 93 28.Commercial agent EIHistorical monuments classified or registered in the inventory under the heritage code are exempt from energy performance diagnosis (DPE)."Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the Géorisques website: www.georisques.gouv.fr"This description has been automatically translated from French.

South of the Champagne region, in a hilly, wooded landscape on the edge of a village, 16th-century château surrounded by a moat, renovated in the 18th century and retaining all its original features (arquebusière, wood panelling, Louis XV marble trumeaux and fireplaces, gypseries...). With approx. 944m² of living space, it comprises 7 adjoining reception rooms and a chapel on the ground floor, a stone grand staircase, 7 bedrooms and 5 shower rooms on the second floor, and a library. A beautiful fortified porch with gunboat, preceded by a large entrance gate, opens onto the parklands, which include a fish pond fed by a river at the edge of the property, lawns and meadows, all on approx. 4.3 ha. The property is in excellent condition. Energy class : F Climate class : F Estimated annual energy costs for standard use: between €23.220 and €31.470 per year. Prices indexed to January 1, 2021. Housing with excessive energy consumption: Class F. From January 1, 2028, the performance level is between classes A and E. Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the Géorisques website: www.georisques.gouv.fr

A 17th century chateau classed as a historic monument with a moat and 17 hectares of grounds, two hours from Paris, in Champagne. The first mention of a lord of Vitry-la-Ville dates back to the 13th century. The current building, probably built on the site of a fortified manor house, dates back to the 17th century. From the small country road that runs through the village, an avenue of lime trees leads to a rectangular area surrounded by a moat where the chateau stands. The drawbridge has been replaced by a stone bridge and a remarkable entrance gate is framed by two dovecotes. A formal French-style garden, created in the 17th century and one of the finest in the region until the 1960s, is currently being redeveloped, including a parking area for 350 vehicles next to a vast meadow. Two successive terraces provide access to the flowerbeds bordered by hornbeam hedges, the two water mirrors reflecting the building, the pond and the cross canal fed by the Guenelle river running alongside the wood.

Ref. 4306: Magnificent listed Chateau in Champagne, for sale This magnificent château is located just a few kilometers from Châlons en Champagne, in the Marne department, one of the four departments that make up the Champagne-Ardennes region. A region world-famous for its most prestigious wine, champagne! Located in a small commune of 380 inhabitants, right next to the village church. In practical terms, it's just 2 km from all the shops and services you need for everyday life. For children, there's a school bus service just outside the château. And to reach Paris by train, the station is 17 km away. XVIIth & XVIIIth century château built on the site of an ancient seigniorial house whose earliest records date back to 1264. With the evolution of time, lifestyle and taste, it has undergone numerous transformations over the centuries. In 1608, Hugues MATHE, Receiver General of Finances for the Champagne region, acquired the château and carried out major works, including the two dovecotes in the courtyard and the renovation of the main building. In 1650, he commissioned the construction of a moat around the château, and had a canal built to divert water from the nearby river. The castle's numerous drawbridges were built at this time. Hugues MATHE organized the park in parallel, calling on Jean Debar, a pupil of the talented André Le Nôtre, to design his formal gardens. In 1735, the château was purchased by François Jean-Marie MOREL, President of the Presidial Court of Châlons-en-Champagne, who restored the building from top to bottom. This date is engraved on the lintel above the entrance door. He restored the facades 'à la moderne', then added two small wings set at right-angles. Later, he carried out extensive work on the château's bridge and entrance gate. He also embellished the gardens with elegant flowerbeds, bridges and water mirrors, all embellished with attractive sculptures. Later, as a result of family alliances, the château passed into the hands of the Comtes Dubois de Riocour family. Built of chalk stone and topped with an Irish purplish slate roof, the château stands at the center of a large rectangular terre-plein surrounded by water. A footbridge spanning the moat provides access to the château's courtyard. A magnificent main gate stands at the entrance to the bridge. On either side are two two-storey square pavilions, formerly dovecotes. The château has a classic east-west orientation, ensuring maximum sunlight. The gardens are to the east and the courtyard to the west. The building is composed of a central body flanked by two wings, each of which has three storeys. Two lower, two-storey wings are attached symmetrically. These two wings are extended by two single-storey buildings framing the courtyard. This assembly creates an interesting interplay of roofs. The roofs of the two end wings are long-sloped and rise as high as the more compact roofs of the main building. Eight finials crown the building. To the north, a final two-storey extension breaks the symmetry of the château. And, at the end of this extension, a heat pump-heated swimming pool (4 x 10 meters) (64 cubic meters of water). The château and northern extension total 1,535 sqm, with a further 210 sqm of accessible undeveloped attic space and 128 sqm of non-accessible attic space in the north and south pavilions. The 595 sqm first floor is composed as follows: A main entrance with a magnificent double spiral staircase in wood and wrought-iron banisters. The vestibule's cabochon tiled floor is almost three hundred years old. On either side of this entrance are 6 large salons with wood panelling and parquet flooring in a variety of patterns (Versailles, herringbone, bâton rompu, mosaic...). The doors feature elaborate bronze fittings. They feature the Counts De Riocourt family coat of arms in the form of a crown surmounted by nine balls indicating their rank of nobility. A large, fully-equipped kitchen, 4 toilets including 2 with disabled access, numerous storerooms and anterooms. The extension comprises a large private apartment with fitted kitchen, 1 bathroom, 2 wc, 4 bedrooms, 2 offices and a laundry area. There's also a seminar area with its own independent staircase, comprising two training rooms and a breakout room. A large garage. -North pigeon house of approx. 135 sqm on three levels: fully-equipped gîte comprising living room/kitchen, two bedrooms, two shower rooms with wc. -The south dovecote is unfinished, but with some renovation work a second 135 sqm gîte could be created. -A 300 sqm reception marquee with parquet flooring and fireproof velums. The grounds cover 42 acres, divided between the courtyard, the moat, the formal garden, which the current owners are gradually redesigning to reflect Le Nôtre's original work, and the forest with its inviting paths. Water is everywhere, providing the romantic dimension sought after by the great castellan families of past centuries. The water features have a purely decorative function and contribute to the overall harmony of the design, reflecting the architecture of the château. A private parking lot near the big top and a very large parking lot with four plots for over 350 cars. The chateau is listed on the Inventaire supplémentaire des Monuments Historiques : The facades and roofs of the château, the two lower wings of the outbuildings and the two entrance pavilions; main entrance gate and gate 18s leading to the garden with its pillars; moat and bridges crossing it (cad. A 123, 125, 412): listed by order of 06/1990. Cabinet LE NAIL – Ile-de-France – Mrs Juliette PERRIN : +33 (0)2.43.98.20.20 Juliette PERRIN , Individual company, registered in the Special Register of Commercial Agents, under the number 512 172 768. We invite you to visit our website Cabinet Le Nail to browse our latest listings or learn more about this property.

A chateau dating back to the 16th and 18th centuries with a swimming pool, nestled in grounds that cover two hectares in France’s Champagne region. The chateau was used as a country house in the 18th century. It was once the centre of the Saron fiefdom – from which the Bochart de Champigny lineage derived its family name from 1630 onwards. From the 17th century, it was a site of astronomical observations by Jean Bochart de Saron and Pierre Gassendi and, in the 18th century, by Jean-Baptiste-Gaspard Bochart de Saron, Roger Joseph Boscovich and Charles Messier. The archives of the French Academy of Sciences mention the chateau as a place used to observe the transit of Venus across the Sun on 3 June 1769, to determine the path of Uranus in 1781, and to observe comets. The chateau is surrounded by walled grounds that cover two hectares. The grounds include a vegetable patch and are dotted with age-old trees, including a 300-year-old plane tree and 200-year-old box and linden trees. A main court extends in front of the chateau, as does the garden, which an imposing wrought-iron gate separates from the village. A towpath along the River Aube demarcates the property’s lower section. Behind the edifice, a slope leads down to a pond. An outdoor swimming pool and a small greenhouse are hidden behind a large neighbouring 16th-century church and cannot be seen from the chateau.

An 18th-century chateau listed as a historical monument where the writer Diderot stayed and that the fashion designer Lagerfeld owned, nestled in 13 hectares of grounds with outhouses. A long tree-lined driveway set back from a secondary road leads to a bridge that crosses the chateau’s moat. At the end of this bridge there is the property’s entrance gate. The chateau and its grand court lie on a rectangular earthen terrace. To the right of them, there is a swimming pool and large outhouses forming a U shape. The grounds extend behind the chateau, well beyond the moat. This vast rear section includes a stream and a patchwork of woodland and meadows that stretches to the River Marne and a private river beach. The chateau was built between 1720 and 1740 by Jean-Robert Volland, France’s chief salt tax officer. In 1755, his daughter Sophie was 39 years old when she met the writer and philosopher Denis Diderot, who was aged 42 at the time. Diderot stayed at the chateau on two occasions: in 1759 and 1770. His letters to Sophie Volland, written over a period of more than 14 years, form the most famous romantic correspondence of the 18th century. The property was sold for the first time in 1773. It then changed owners three times. In 2001, the renowned fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld bought the chateau. He then sold it in 2011. The chateau is currently rented out for short stays.

A chateau, a chapel and vast outbuildings on 17 ha of predominantly wooded land in the Champagne region. Not all the impressive buildings composing this property can be glimpsed through the monumental, wrought iron gates. First comes an admirable chapel, standing like a candle whose glow would bless the serenity of the premises. Next comes the chateau, a vast white building standing amidst the grasslands that conceal seven constructions, including a Cistercian barn.

A listed castle, once belonging to the Joyeuse counts, in 7 ha of parklands 2½ hours from Paris and Brussels in a region known as Argonne-Ardennaise. The geographic location of Grandpré castle, standing on a rocky spur, was already an advantage in medieval times. In a dominant position, looking out over the Argonne region towards the roads through the Champagne countryside, it was one of the border areas essential to the young kingdom of France. The county, divided since the Crusades, was gradually reunited until it fell into the hands of a powerful character, Louis-de-Joyeuse, chamberlain at the court of Louis XII. Supporter of the Catholic League, his heir, Claude-de-Joyeuse, amassed spoils and fortune in the 17th century, thus enabling him to embellish the estate and leave his mark on the surrounding buildings: the church and other buildings necessary to the inhabitants of the county. Distinguishing themselves from many of their contemporaries, the Joyeuse counts made their mark through military careers (Marshals of France and Lieutenant-Generals of the king’s armies) and followed Louis XIV. It was during 1685 that major works were carried out (large appartements, stables, etc.) and financed courtesy of the titles and offices acquired by members of the Joyeuses family following their military successes during the Wars of Spanish Succession around 1700. Marriages arranged with the large families in the Champagne region did the rest. However, despite a well-founded land heritage, lineage strategies proved too fragile and the estate gradually became divided in the 18th century. Furthermore, the estate was little occupied prior to the fall of the monarchy in 1792. It was requisitioned by General-Dumouriez, a famous republican hero following the Valmy victory against the Austrians. He settled his general quarters there prior to it becoming a hospital set up for the revolutionary armies. Despite a token show of renovation under the First Empire and during the Restoration era, a lack of constant upkeep led to a fire that started in the gatehouse and the destruction of the castle in 1834. Only one pavilion was restored, it now forms the current castle. An outstanding collection of outbuildings align the street going up the hill. A monumental pavilion, in a central recess, provides access to the outbuilding courtyard. The castle and its parklands are then reached by passing under the semi-circular arched porchway of the gatehouse.