French Heritage Society

French Heritage Society

Preserving our historic treasures to inspire future generations

Sustainable Developments

Village of Bourbonnais

Apr 2, 2025
Established in the 1830s, Bourbonnais is part of the French Heritage Corridor, an area rich in French history and heritage.  Site History The Bourbonnais Grove settlement is named for Francois Bourbonnais Sr., a French-Canadian fur trader who traded with the Potawatomi people. French-Canadian fur trader Noel LeVasseur established his trading post in the settlement in […]

Village of Bourbonnais

Established in the 1830s, Bourbonnais is part of the French Heritage Corridor, an area rich in French history and heritage. 

Site History

The Bourbonnais Grove settlement is named for Francois Bourbonnais Sr., a French-Canadian fur trader who traded with the Potawatomi people. French-Canadian fur trader Noel LeVasseur established his trading post in the settlement in 1835, creating a meeting and focal point for the new community. In 1837, a log schoolhouse was built. That year, LeVasseur traveled to his native Quebec to recruit more French Canadians to the settlement. Due to political, economic, religious and agricultural problems at home, many of the Quebecois made the journey to northeastern Illinois, to what would become part of the French Heritage Corridor. By 1847, when the settlement’s future first mayor arrived, there were 77 French-Canadian families residing in Bourbonnais Grove. French culture was prevalent in the corridor, and French was the primary language until the 1960s. The log schoolhouse, once rebuilt, will attest to the historic French presence there.

About the Project

The project will rebuild Kankakee River Valley’s first log schoolhouse (1837–1848), one of the oldest structures in northeastern Illinois. The original one-room log schoolhouse was located at 493 South Main Street, Bourbonnais. In 2011, the original log schoolhouse was demolished, along with part of the house built around it, known until recently as the Marcotte House. In the course of demolition, 60% of the original logs were removed and stored; they will be used for this project. The log schoolhouse will be rebuilt on the Adrien M. Richard Heritage Preserve, just west of the Letourneau Home/Museum in Bourbonnais.

The Village of Bourbonnais Today

The Village of Bourbonnais is a growing community of more than 18,000 residents. The home of George Letourneau, the inaugural Mayor of Bourbonnais, now houses the Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society, which works to preserve the history and French-Canadian heritage of the village.

Château des Millets

Apr 2, 2025
Built in the 15th century, this fortified château is situated on an estate designed for self-sufficiency, a tenet that informs preservation of the site. Site History This fortified château from the end of the 15th century was embellished with a Renaissance façade in the 16th century. Its interior decor dates from the 18th century, though […]

Château des Millets

Built in the 15th century, this fortified château is situated on an estate designed for self-sufficiency, a tenet that informs preservation of the site.

Site History

This fortified château from the end of the 15th century was embellished with a Renaissance façade in the 16th century. Its interior decor dates from the 18th century, though elements were added in the 19th century. The estate is designed for self-sufficiency, complete with a fishpond, stables, a dairy, vegetable gardens, orchards, a wine press and wine cellars, a bread oven, watercress cultivation and more. 

The library, created in the 1940s, features sculptures that evoke the then-owner’s passion for philately. In the kitchen are two friezes, one by illustrator Benjamin Rabier, known for his Vache qui rit (Laughing Cow) labels on the cheese of the same name. These are in the process of being landmarked.

About the Project

The château’s roof is in urgent need of restoration. The roof encompasses 550 square meters and will be restored in phases. This phase concerns about 75% of that surface. Tiles are cracked and falling off in places, allowing water infiltration in many areas. The numerous urgent repairs on the roof led to the discovery of an original tile dating from 1621. Only historical tiles will be used in the restoration, along with other traditional materials, including copper. Skilled artisans were carefully selected to carry out the historic restoration work, which will begin in May 2022.

Château des Millets Today

The castle and its grounds are registered as a historic monument. The concept of self-sufficiency is an important one to the owners and a focus of their current and future development of the site.

Château de By / Rosa Bonheur

Apr 2, 2025
The former home and studio of internationally renowned artist Rosa Bonheur, the Château de By now houses the museum that bears her name. Site History A 15th-century seigneurial domain in the hamlet of By-Thomery, the Château de By was purchased by the renowned painter Rosa Bonheur in 1859, following the sale of her painting The Horse […]

Château de By / Rosa Bonheur

The former home and studio of internationally renowned artist Rosa Bonheur, the Château de By now houses the museum that bears her name.

Site History

A 15th-century seigneurial domain in the hamlet of By-Thomery, the Château de By was purchased by the renowned painter Rosa Bonheur in 1859, following the sale of her painting The Horse Fair. The artist commissioned the architect Jules Saulnier to build her studio. She lived in the château for 40 years, until her death in 1899. 

The first woman to be awarded the Grand Croix of the Légion d’honneur, Rosa Bonheur was adored for her talent and passion in France as well as in the United States and England. She painted animals, landscapes and portraits in addition to being a sculptor. Her works have traveled around the world, and dignitaries and crowned heads visited her at the Château de By. After her death, the property was taken over by the painter Anna Klumpke, who preserved the estate and opened Bonheur’s studio to the public in order to keep her memory alive. In 2017, the property passed into the hands of Katherine Brault, who remains committed to safeguarding the château along with its collections and vast park. In 2018, the Musée d’atelier Rosa-Bonheur, recognized as a “Maison des Illustre,” opened in the château. 

About the Project

This project entails the complete restoration of the Chambre à Chasselas, or Grape Room. It is part of a major project to fully rehabilitate the château and its three-hectare park, restoring the biodiversity of its ecosystem. Rosa Bonheur held a special reverence for nature, both in her work and in her life. The park of the Château de By was a source of daily inspiration, as was the forest of the nearby Château de Fontainebleau.

Château de By Today

The year 2022 marks the bicentenary of Rosa Bonheur’s birth. In recognition of the occasion, the first retrospective dedicated to the artist will be held at the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux, her city of birth. Other initiatives include the production of television shows and documentaries on the artist and a series of prestigious events held at the château (to include an open-air music festival, special exhibitions, etc.). FHS will also continue to place student interns at the château, as it has since 2019, as part of its Education Program.

Château de Donjeux

Apr 2, 2025
Passed down among women since the early 1800s, the Château de Donjeux is situated among majestic terraced gardens that are maintained with a focus on environmental sustainability. Site History The current Château de Donjeux dates from 1755 and was built on the ruins of a fortified 11th-century fortress. Following the death of the Marquis de […]

Château de Donjeux

Passed down among women since the early 1800s, the Château de Donjeux is situated among majestic terraced gardens that are maintained with a focus on environmental sustainability.

Site History

The current Château de Donjeux dates from 1755 and was built on the ruins of a fortified 11th-century fortress. Following the death of the Marquis de Lespéroux in 1770, the chateau was passed on to one of his sons, Sébastien Charles Hubert. Hubert died during the French Revolution, and his family fled to Switzerland. When they returned to France, they reclaimed Donjeux and maintained it until handing it over to Jean-Baptiste Raulot for financial reasons in 1810. Since that date, the Château de Donjeux has been inherited several times by women in the same family. In 1991, it was jointly owned by nine Viney siblings. In 2021, the joint ownership was extended to their children.

The architect of the château and its gardens was Jean-Michel Chevotet (1698–1772), who also designed the Château de Champlâtreux, the Pavillon de Hanovre and the Château de Beloeil—the “Belgian Versailles”—and its majestic park. 

About the Project

The restoration work concerns several architectural elements in the terraced French gardens that surround the buildings: the reflecting pool, the outer walls, and three entry gates and their flowerpots. 

The Château de Donjeux Gardens Today

An association, les Amis du Château de Donjeux, was created in 2022 to develop activities and open the estate more broadly to the public, with a special emphasis on activities for children and appreciation for the gardens. The gardens are maintained with consideration for environmental sustainability, including a “zero pesticides” policy. They include a large and beautiful vegetable garden enclosed by walls and iron gates, which offers an east-west perspective perpendicular to the avenue leading to the main courtyard. The charm lies in the interplay of the different levels of terraces, linked by freestone ramps that enclose two pavilions. Stone and cast-iron vases adorn the terrace walls and highlight their design. 

Château de Miromesnil

Apr 2, 2025
The birthplace of the writer Guy de Maupassant, the Château de Miromesnil is set within a splendid beech grove; its grounds feature a 200-year-old cedar and a traditional vegetable garden.  Site History The Château de Miromesnil was built in the 16th and 17th centuries, on the site of an ancient fortified castle. Its façades reflect the Henri […]

Château de Miromesnil

The birthplace of the writer Guy de Maupassant, the Château de Miromesnil is set within a splendid beech grove; its grounds feature a 200-year-old cedar and a traditional vegetable garden. 

Site History

The Château de Miromesnil was built in the 16th and 17th centuries, on the site of an ancient fortified castle. Its façades reflect the Henri IV and Louis XIII styles of architecture. The château was notably home to Armand-Thomas Hue, Marquis de Miromesnil, who served as Keeper of the Seals under Louis XVI and became the first President of the Parliament of Rouen. It is also the birthplace, in 1850, of the celebrated author Guy de Maupassant. The salons of the château evoke the memory of these two illustrious figures. 

The estate has belonged to the same family for three generations. Nathalie and Jean-Christophe Romatet have lived in the château with their three children since 2004. Nathalie’s grandparents, the Count and Countess Bertrand de Vogüé, acquired Miromesnil in 1938.

About the Project

The restoration concerns the outer stone wall that encloses the château and its park. A splendid 10-hectare beech forest surrounds the château, and the park is home to a 200-year-old cedar from Lebanon. A traditional vegetable garden continues to provide the château with flowers, fruit and vegetables. The strict arrangement of the rows of vegetables contrasts with the exuberance of the flowerbeds that surround them. In the woods, visitors encounter a listed 15th-century chapel featuring stained-glass windows and 16th-century polychrome statues.

Miromesnil Today

Miromesnil functions as a year-round residence for the Romatet family, and visitors are welcome to discover the château and its grounds, including the woods and vegetable garden. With guest rooms and events such as an Easter egg hunt, a Christmas market and games of Cluedo, the château offers something for all tastes and ages. The variety at Miromesnil attracts visitors from around the world to experience the magic of an estate that is alive with activity.

Latour-Marliac

Feb 7, 2025
The world’s oldest water lily nursery, Latour-Marliac inspired Claude Monet to establish his own water garden at Giverny. Site History & Significance Located in Le Temple-sur-Lot, near Agen, Latour-Marliac is the oldest water lily nursery in the world and home to the French National Collection of the genus Nymphaea. It was founded in 1875 by […]

Latour-Marliac

The world’s oldest water lily nursery, Latour-Marliac inspired Claude Monet to establish his own water garden at Giverny.

Site History & Significance

Located in Le Temple-sur-Lot, near Agen, Latour-Marliac is the oldest water lily nursery in the world and home to the French National Collection of the genus Nymphaea. It was founded in 1875 by Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac, who is famous for pioneering the hybridization of water lilies through a process that retains its mystery to this day. He introduced his collection of hybrids at the Exposition universelle of 1889, and they won first prize in their category. They also captured the attention of Claude Monet, who later ordered Latour-Marliac water lilies for his now iconic pond at Giverny.

In 2007, the French-American landscaper Robert Sheldon, a lifelong enthusiast of water lilies, took over the site, continuing its legacy.

About the Restoration Project

The restoration project concerns the lotus basins, the oldest of which date back to 1870, and which have not undergone any major restoration to date. These basins, arranged in the shape of a horseshoe, require masonry work to reinforce their structure and restore their watertightness.

Latour-Marliac Today

Today, many of the colorful water lilies you see in nurseries and water gardens around the world trace their origins to Latour-Marliac. Designated a “Remarkable Garden,” Latour-Marliac spans 2.5 hectares and houses 250 hardy and tropical water lily species. It is open during the blooming season, from May to October, offering visitors the opportunity to explore the gardens, cultivation pools, greenhouses, bamboo grove and ponds featuring a Japanese bridge reminiscent of Giverny.