Château de la Grange-Bléneau
Encyclopedia
The Château de la Grange-Bléneau is a castle
in the commune
of Courpalay
in the Seine-et-Marne
département of France.
to her daughter Adrienne de La Fayette
. She passed it on to her husband, General de Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette
, who lived there from 1802 until his death in 1834.
Eight years after La Fayette's death, his grandson Jules de Lasteyrie (1810–1883) married Olivia de Rohan-Chabot (1813–1899), the daughter of the émigré Louis de Rohan, Vicomte de Chabot, and Lady Charlotte Fitzgerald, daughter of the second Duke of Leinster
. They lived at la Grange-Bléneau for 54 years. Their son, Louis de Lasteyrie, sold the home to his cousin, René de Chambrun
, in 1935, with a life tenancy. Upon his death in 1955, René de Chambrun discovered the large cache of documents in the attic, and founded a private museum to Lafayette. He organized and described the family archives, a collection dating from 1457 to 1990. The papers were microfilmed at La Grange in 1995 and 1996, for the Library of Congress.
The building dates from the 14th century but it was altered in the 17th century. It includes five circular towers from the 15th century and a chapel. The castle has been untouched since the death of La Fayette. Of note are the general's library and archives and historic artefacts relating to the independence of the United States
. Today, it is the property of the Josée and René de Chambrun Foundation
, a charitable foundation charged with preserving the castle and its historical contents.
It has been listed since 1942 as a monument historique
by the French Ministry of Culture.
Part of this article was initially translated from a section of the Wikipedia article :fr:Courpalay, specifically from this version.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Courpalay
Courpalay
Courpalay is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * *...
in the Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
département of France.
History
Recorded since the 13th century, the castle has belonged to several families: Courtenay, Aubusson-La Feuillade and d'Aguesseau. Ownership passed from Henriette d'AguesseauHenriette-Anne-Louise d'Aguesseau
Henriette Anne Louise d'Aguesseau, Duchess of Noailles, Princess of Tingry , was the heiress of her grandfather, Henri François d'Aguesseau, and wife of Jean Paul François de Noailles, Count and Duke of Ayen.-Family:...
to her daughter Adrienne de La Fayette
Adrienne de La Fayette
Marie Adrienne Françoise de Noailles, marquise de La Fayette , the daughter of Jean de Noailles, and Henriette Anne Louise d'Aguesseau, married Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette....
. She passed it on to her husband, General de Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette
Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette , often known as simply Lafayette, was a French aristocrat and military officer born in Chavaniac, in the province of Auvergne in south central France...
, who lived there from 1802 until his death in 1834.
Eight years after La Fayette's death, his grandson Jules de Lasteyrie (1810–1883) married Olivia de Rohan-Chabot (1813–1899), the daughter of the émigré Louis de Rohan, Vicomte de Chabot, and Lady Charlotte Fitzgerald, daughter of the second Duke of Leinster
William FitzGerald, 2nd Duke of Leinster
William Robert FitzGerald, 2nd Duke of Leinster, etc. KP, PC was an Irish liberal politician and landowner. He was born in London.-Career:...
. They lived at la Grange-Bléneau for 54 years. Their son, Louis de Lasteyrie, sold the home to his cousin, René de Chambrun
René de Chambrun
René de Chambrun , was a lawyer at the Court of Appeals of Paris and of the New York State Bar Association and a descendant of Lafayette, as well as a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, and honorary president of the Sons of the American Revolution in France...
, in 1935, with a life tenancy. Upon his death in 1955, René de Chambrun discovered the large cache of documents in the attic, and founded a private museum to Lafayette. He organized and described the family archives, a collection dating from 1457 to 1990. The papers were microfilmed at La Grange in 1995 and 1996, for the Library of Congress.
The building dates from the 14th century but it was altered in the 17th century. It includes five circular towers from the 15th century and a chapel. The castle has been untouched since the death of La Fayette. Of note are the general's library and archives and historic artefacts relating to the independence of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Today, it is the property of the Josée and René de Chambrun Foundation
Josée and René de Chambrun Foundation
The Josée and René de Chambrun Foundation is a non-profit charitable foundation based in Paris, France.Recognized by the French government as a nonprofit organization on October 19, 1959, the Foundation was founded by René de Chambrun , a lawyer at the Court of Appeals of Paris and of the New York...
, a charitable foundation charged with preserving the castle and its historical contents.
It has been listed since 1942 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...
by the French Ministry of Culture.
External links
- Ministry of Culture listing for Château de la Grange-Bléneau
- Ministry of Culture photos
- www.culture.gouv.fr
Part of this article was initially translated from a section of the Wikipedia article :fr:Courpalay, specifically from this version.