Château de Beaumesnil

A rare example of a baroque castle from the Louis XIII era, the Château de Beaumesnil welcomes visitors to explore its collection of bookbindings, attend cooking demonstrations and stroll its extensive grounds.  

Site History & Significance

The Domaine de Beaumesnil dates back to 911, but the current château was built between 1633 and 1640. Restored in the 19th and 20th centuries, this family castle is surrounded by a 50-hectare park with formal French gardens. A rare example of a baroque castle from the Louis XIII era, the current residence bears the imprint of the waning Renaissance and is primarily built of brick and stone.

The Maistre family owned the château until 1928, when it was sold to Grand Duke Dimitri Pavlovich, who had been exiled from Russia following his participation in Rasputin’s assassination. Pavlovich and his American wife, Audrey Emery, moved into the former stables, which they converted into pavilions. In 1939, Jean Fürstenberg and his wife, Eugénie, acquired the château. They established a museum of ancient bookbindings, a passion of Jean Fürstenberg, and created the Fürstenberg-Beaumesnil Foundation to ensure the long-term future of the château.

About the Restoration Project

The restoration of the baroque-style Fountain of the Four Seasons, located adjacent to the Château de Beaumesnil, is a priority among the projects aimed at preserving the castle’s façade. Then-owner Audrey Emery brought the fountain back from a trip to Italy in the 1930s. Among its features, it is decorated with mascarons that echo the façade of the castle. The current project includes the refurbishment of deteriorated sculptures, particularly the consoles and the chapeau de gendarme (a French architectural element resembling a police officer’s hat), and the consolidation and repointing of the decorations, as well as the fountain’s restoration to a working state. Additionally, there are plans to enhance the fountain with lighting, making it more visible to visitors.

Château de Beaumesnil Today

Now managed by the Fürstenberg-Beaumesnil Foundation, the château is open to the public. In addition to the bookbinding museum, it offers cooking demonstrations and themed tours. Seasonal activities range from a giant living Cluedo known as Murder at the Castle to an Easter egg hunt and summer evening events with fireworks, allowing visitors to experience different aspects of the château and its grounds.