Château d'Esclimont - History of the Château

The Château d'Esclimont down the centuries

The keep is all that is now left of the first fortified château built in the 10th century, its feudal severity softened by a porch with a triple entry giving access to the pre-courtyard and tall "French" roof in the Renaissance style.

In 1543, Etienne du Ponchet, the Lord of Esclimont, canon of Chartres and Archbishop of Tours, rebuilt the château taking inspiration from the style of the great houses that his cousins were building in the Val de Loire.

The 17th and 18th centuries were the centuries of the Bullion family. They transformed the château and brought it up to date without tearing down the corner turrets out of respect for their forebears. The château then passed to the Montmorency-Laval family until the marriage in 1807 of its owner, Elisabeth Hélene Pierre, to Louis- François- Sosthene de La Rochefoucauld - Doudeauville.

In 1865, their son, Marie-Charles -Sosthene de La Rochefoucauld engaged the architect, Parent, to give the château a new "Renaissance style" romantic decor and entrusted the park to the landscape gardener, Bühler.
On the courtyard façade, the name Marie can be seen. Marie was none other than the Duchess de Doudeauville. She was the inspiration of this tribute of love from her husband.

Their son Edouard was the last occupant of the château up to his death in 1968.