Château de la Mésangère

Located within a park designed by Le Nôtre, La Mésangère has served as inspiration for writers including La Fontaine and Fontenelle.

Site History

La Mésangère as it exists today dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. The current château was built on the foundations of a feudal structure destroyed in 1592, during the Wars of Religion, by the Catholic troops of the Duke of Mayenne. In 1659, the land of La Mésangère was purchased by Guillaume Scott, who undertook the development of the park, the plan of which is attributed to André Le Nôtre. The work continued from around 1663 until around 1675 and included the construction of walls and a ditch to protect against wolves, construction of the dovecote, and the planting of avenues and groves. 

In 1677, Guillaume II Scott married Marguerite de Rambouillet, daughter of Madame de La Sablière, who had run a very popular salon under Louis XIII. Madame de La Sablière was the protector of Jean de La Fontaine, who is said to have written two fables in the park. The author Bernard de Fontenelle stayed frequently at the estate, where he found inspiration for his Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds. During the 18th century, the Scotts furnished the park with a statuary representing subjects of Greek mythology. The estate was acquired by Chrestien de Fumechon in 1791 and remained by descent in the same family until 2013. The present owners acquired it in 2019.

About the Project

The restoration project concerns the stone bridge linking the park to the rest of the estate. The bridge is currently dangerous, and access is prohibited. Work will include masonry and the replacement of carved stone blocks.

La Mésangère Today

The park was open for the International Heritage Days in 2020 and 2021 and for the Nuit des Châteaux, featuring a play about La Fontaine in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of his birth, in 2021. The owners plan to open the park to the public as soon as preparatory work has been completed for the restoration of the statues, with the objective of developing a cultural and educational tour centered on Greek mythology. At the end of 2021, the Parc des Boucles de la Seine Normande approved funding for the restoration of the statues, and the dossier is being reviewed by the region.