Château de Maintenon
Encyclopedia
The Château de Maintenon is a château
situated in the Eure-et-Loir
region of France. It is best known as being the private residence of the second spouse of Louis XIV
, Madame de Maintenon
.
The castle has been classified as a Monument historique
since 1944 by the French Ministry of Culture.
's treasurer Jean Cottereau
, who transformed the château-fort into a country house. In the 17th century it was rebuilt for Madame de Maintenon, who purchased the estate in 1675.
The château's main features are the keep, constructed in the 13th century, and the principal corps de logis
, flanked by two round towers, one at the avant-cour and the other at the bridge across the moat. The east and west wings frame a cour d'honneur
, beyond which is the moat
filled by the waters of the Eure
, and, beyond, the parterre
and park. The picturesque massing of the varied towers and roofs pleased François-René de Chateaubriand
who found its special character was like that of an abbey or an old town, "with its spires and steeples, grouped at hap-hazard".
At the far end of the gardens is the aqueduct
called the Canal de l'Eure
, also known as the canal de Louis XIV, ordered by Louis XIV. Its colossal scale impressed Chateaubriand, who said that it was "a work worthy of the Caesars". It was constructed by the Marquis de Vauban
between 1685 and 1690 in order to transport water from the Eure River to the gardens and fountains at the Château de Versailles
.
In the 18th century there was an orangerie constructed as well as stables.
The other tower is unable to be viewed.
who also worked at Versailles
, Saint-Germain-en-Laye
and Marly
. The parterre has two interlacing "L"'s, in honour of Louis XIV. Two allée
s, given modern names in honour of Le Nôtre and Racine
, border the Eure river.
At the far end, cutting through the gardens, is the aqueduct built from 1685 to supply the fountains of the park of the Palace of Versailles. The project meant that water was diverted from the Eure river some 80 km away. The arches of the structure reach a height of 60 feet. Vauban was in charge of the works.
The aqueduct had to have 47 arcades to the first row, 195 arcades to the second and 390 to the third one. The wars of Louis XIV prevented the work's completion.
It is also classified as a Monument historique
since 1875 by the French Ministry of Culture.
Cottereau Family
Angennes Family
Famille d'Aubigné
House of Noailles
Fondation du château de Maintenon
Image:France Eure-et-Loir Maintenon Chateau 01.jpg|Entrance of the château
Image:France Eure-et-Loir Maintenon Chateau 02.jpg|The Eure river by the château
Image:France Eure-et-Loir Maintenon Chateau 03.jpg|View of the château from the park
Image:France Eure-et-Loir Maintenon Chateau 04.jpg|View of the château from the park
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
situated in the Eure-et-Loir
Eure-et-Loir
Eure-et-Loir is a French department, named after the Eure and Loir rivers.-History:Eure-et-Loir is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790 pursuant to the Act of December 22, 1789...
region of France. It is best known as being the private residence of the second spouse of Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, Madame de Maintenon
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon
Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon was the second wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was known during her first marriage as Madame Scarron, and subsequently as Madame de Maintenon...
.
The castle has been classified as a Monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
since 1944 by the French Ministry of Culture.
Construction
The construction of the château began in the 12th and ended roughly in the 18th century. In the early 16th century it was purchased by Louis XIILouis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
's treasurer Jean Cottereau
Jean Cottereau
Jean Cottereau was the royal treasurer to Louis XII of France. He rebuilt the ancient Château de Maintenon. Later the old château-fort was remade into a fashionable country house for Madame de Maintenon, the second wife of Louis XIV. Clément Marot's verse epitaphs, "De Messire Jean Cotereau,...
, who transformed the château-fort into a country house. In the 17th century it was rebuilt for Madame de Maintenon, who purchased the estate in 1675.
The château's main features are the keep, constructed in the 13th century, and the principal corps de logis
Corps de logis
Corps de logis is the architectural term which refers to the principal block of a large, usually classical, mansion or palace. It contains the principal rooms, state apartments and an entry. The grandest and finest rooms are often on the first floor above the ground level: this floor is the...
, flanked by two round towers, one at the avant-cour and the other at the bridge across the moat. The east and west wings frame a cour d'honneur
Cour d'Honneur
Cour d'Honneur is the architectural term for defining a three-sided courtyard, created when the main central block, or corps de logis, is flanked by symmetrical advancing secondary wings, containing minor rooms...
, beyond which is the moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
filled by the waters of the Eure
Eure
Eure is a department in the north of France named after the river Eure.- History :Eure is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
, and, beyond, the parterre
Parterre
A parterre is a formal garden construction on a level surface consisting of planting beds, edged in stone or tightly clipped hedging, and gravel paths arranged to form a pleasing, usually symmetrical pattern. Parterres need not have any flowers at all...
and park. The picturesque massing of the varied towers and roofs pleased François-René de Chateaubriand
François-René de Chateaubriand
François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand was a French writer, politician, diplomat and historian. He is considered the founder of Romanticism in French literature.-Early life and exile:...
who found its special character was like that of an abbey or an old town, "with its spires and steeples, grouped at hap-hazard".
At the far end of the gardens is the aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
called the Canal de l'Eure
Canal de l'Eure
The Canal de l'Eure, made necessary by the insufficient water supply for the Château de Versailles and the water features of its gardens, was designed for Louis XIV of France by his military engineer Vauban, based on preliminary surveys by Philippe de La Hire. The population of the town of...
, also known as the canal de Louis XIV, ordered by Louis XIV. Its colossal scale impressed Chateaubriand, who said that it was "a work worthy of the Caesars". It was constructed by the Marquis de Vauban
Vauban
Sébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban and later Marquis de Vauban , commonly referred to as Vauban, was a Marshal of France and the foremost military engineer of his age, famed for his skill in both designing fortifications and breaking through them...
between 1685 and 1690 in order to transport water from the Eure River to the gardens and fountains at the Château de Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
.
In the 18th century there was an orangerie constructed as well as stables.
Interior
The interior has been restored and furniture and decoration can be seen;- The petits appartements (situated on the first floor of the corps de logis)
- A passage leading to the bedroom of Madame de Maintenon, an antichamber and a private OratoryOratory (worship)An oratory is a Christian room for prayer, from the Latin orare, to pray.-Catholic church:In the Roman Catholic Church, an oratory is a structure other than a parish church, set aside by ecclesiastical authority for prayer and the celebration of Mass...
; - The bedroom of the maréchal de Noailles also preceded by an antichamber;
- A passage leading to the bedroom of Madame de Maintenon, an antichamber and a private Oratory
- The grands appartements (part of the round tower)
- Two salon's decorated in the Chinese style;
- The salon du Roi, bedroom of Louis XIV when he stayed at Maintenon as guest of his secret wife;
- A Billiard Room from the 19th century;
- A library in the style Napoléon III, the old library of Madame de Maintenon;
- A portrait gallery showing painting of the House of NoaillesDuke of NoaillesThe title of Duke of Noailles was a French peerage created in 1663 for Anne of Noailles, count of Ayen.The second, third and fourth dukes were all marshals of France...
, who inherited the property at the death of Madame de Maintenon in 1718; in the gallery is a cenotaph in honour of her;
The other tower is unable to be viewed.
Gardens and aqueduct
The main parterre was designed by the famous André Le NôtreAndré Le Nôtre
André Le Nôtre was a French landscape architect and the principal gardener of King Louis XIV of France...
who also worked at Versailles
Gardens of Versailles
The Gardens of Versailles occupy part of what was once the Domaine royal de Versailles, the royal demesne of the château of Versailles. Situated to the west of the palace, the gardens cover some 800 hectares of land, much of which is landscaped in the classic French Garden style perfected here by...
, Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale ....
and Marly
Château de Marly
The Château de Marly was a relatively small French royal residence located in what has become Marly-le-Roi, the commune that existed at the edge of the royal park. The town that originally grew up to service the château is now a dormitory community for Paris....
. The parterre has two interlacing "L"'s, in honour of Louis XIV. Two allée
Allee
Allee may refer to:* Alfred Allee , U.S. sheriff.* J. Frank Allee , U.S. merchant and politician.* Warder Clyde Allee , U.S. ecologist, discoverer of the Allee effect.* Verna Allee , U.S. business consultant....
s, given modern names in honour of Le Nôtre and Racine
Jean Racine
Jean Racine , baptismal name Jean-Baptiste Racine , was a French dramatist, one of the "Big Three" of 17th-century France , and one of the most important literary figures in the Western tradition...
, border the Eure river.
At the far end, cutting through the gardens, is the aqueduct built from 1685 to supply the fountains of the park of the Palace of Versailles. The project meant that water was diverted from the Eure river some 80 km away. The arches of the structure reach a height of 60 feet. Vauban was in charge of the works.
The aqueduct had to have 47 arcades to the first row, 195 arcades to the second and 390 to the third one. The wars of Louis XIV prevented the work's completion.
It is also classified as a Monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
since 1875 by the French Ministry of Culture.
Succession of owners and inhabitants
Famille de Maintenon- end of the 10th century : Avesgaud I; first Lord of Maintenon (seigneur de Maintenon);
- From 1028: Germond I, son of the above;
- Cited from 1053: Avesgaud II, son of the above;
- Cited from 1083: Germond II, son of the above;
- Cited from 1086 to 1120: Mainier, son of the above;
- Cited from 1123 to 1135 : Amaury I, son of the above;
- Around 1150: Guillaume, son of the above;
- Around 1180: Jean, son of the above;
- From 1200 à 1237: Amaury II, son of the above;
- Around 1240: Amaury III, son of the above;
- 1248: Hugues, son of the above;
- Around 1260: Jean, brother of the above;
- 13th century : Amaury IV, son or nephew of the above;
- Beginning of the 13th century : X (died before 1331), son of the above;
- Circa 1346 to 1373 : Amaury V, son of the above;
- End of the 13th century : Thibaud, son of the above;
- Around 1473: Jean, son of the above;
- Around 1485: Robert, son of the above;
- At the end 1497: Amaury Loresse, écuyer
Cottereau Family
- At the end of 1503, Jean Cottereau;
Angennes Family
- 1526: Jacques d’Angennes ( - 1562), seigneur de Rambouillet, married Isabeau ( - 1554), daughter of the above;
- Before 1573: Louis d’Angennes (1536 - after 1601), First marquis de Maintenon, baron de Meslay, seigneur de La Moutonnière, Moutier and of La Villeneuve, son of the previous, married Françoise d'O;
- 1607: Charles, marquis de Maintenon, baron de Meslay, seigneur de La Moutonnière, du Moutier et de La Villeneuve, son of the previous, married Françoise, Lady of Blainville, Salvert and of Saint-Gervais;
- 1640: Louis, marquis de Maintenon, baron then marquis de Meslay, seigneur de La Moutonnière, of Moutier, and La Villeneuve, de Blainville and of Saint-Gervais, son of the above, married Marie Le Clerc du Tremblay;
- Second part of the 17th century : Charles François (1648–1691), marquis de Maintenon, épouse Catherine du Poyet de Poincy.
Famille d'Aubigné
- 1674: Madame de MaintenonFrançoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de MaintenonFrançoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon was the second wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was known during her first marriage as Madame Scarron, and subsequently as Madame de Maintenon...
(1635–1719) bought the marquisate from the previous;- 1677: Madame de Montespan gave birth to her youngest daughter, future Duchess of Orléans;
- 1689 and 1691: RacineJean RacineJean Racine , baptismal name Jean-Baptiste Racine , was a French dramatist, one of the "Big Three" of 17th-century France , and one of the most important literary figures in the Western tradition...
wrote the tragedies EstherEsther (drama)Esther is the name of a play in three acts written in 1689 by the French dramatist, Jean Racine. It premiered on January 26, 1689, performed by the pupils of the Maison royale de Saint-Louis, an educational institute for young girls of noble birth...
and Athalie for the Maison royale de Saint-Louis;
House of Noailles
- 1698: Françoise Charlotte d'AubignéFrançoise Charlotte d'AubignéFrançoise Charlotte Amable d'Aubigné, Duchess of Noailles was the wife of Adrien Maurice de Noailles, 3rd Duke of Noailles. She was the niece of Françoise d'Aubigné, Madame de Maintenon, and her heiress.-Biography:...
(1684–1739), niece of Madame de Maintenon, wife of Adrien Maurice de Noailles (1678–1766) ; Madame de Maintenon willed it to her niece; - 1766: Louis de Noailles (1713–1793),son and heir of the above, he married in 1737 to Catherine de Cossé-Brissac.
- 1793: Jean de Noailles (1739–1824), son of the above; he married in 1755 to Louise d'Aguesseau;
- 1824: Paul de Noailles (1802–1885), great nephew of the above; he married Alice de Rochechouart de Mortemart
- 1885: Jules Charles Victurnien de Noailles, duc de Noailles (1826–1895), son of the above; married in 1851 Clotilde de La Ferté-Meun;
- 1895: Adrien de Noailles, duc de Noailles (1869–1953), son of the above; married in 1892 Yolande de Luynes ;
- Jean Maurice Paul Jules de Noailles, duc d’Ayen (1893–1945), their son, died in action; he had married in 1919 Solange de Labriffe;
- 1953 : Geneviève de Noailles (1921–1998), daughter of Jean, heiress of the châteauChâteauA château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
; she married in 1947 Jean Gaston Amaury Raindre.
Fondation du château de Maintenon
- 1983 : the previous gave it to the Fondation du château de Maintenon.
- 2005 : the foundation gave the property to the Conseil général d'Eure-et-Loir.
Gallery
Image:France Eure-et-Loir Maintenon Chateau 01.jpg|Entrance of the château
Image:France Eure-et-Loir Maintenon Chateau 02.jpg|The Eure river by the château
Image:France Eure-et-Loir Maintenon Chateau 03.jpg|View of the château from the park
Image:France Eure-et-Loir Maintenon Chateau 04.jpg|View of the château from the park