Château des Sources

In 1630, a wealthy wine merchant named Fauvet built a modest house at a place called “la Saussaye”. This unassuming dwelling would eventually become the Château des Sources. Fauvet, one of the privileged wine suppliers to the Royal court, expanded his estate over time. He acquired more land and enlarged his home. This marked the beginning of the Château des Sources’ long and fascinating history. Upon Fauvet’s death in 1650, his sister Nicole inherited the property. She quickly sold it, setting off a chain reaction of ownership changes. Between 1650 and 1874, an astounding 126 different owners possessed the Château des Sources. It was bought and sold 45 times. The early owners included members of the King’s household. Among them were the head of Louis XIV’s fruit supply and a war commissioner. Notarial records describe the property as a slate-roofed pavilion with a courtyard, outbuildings, vineyards, and land. Over time, the Château des Sources evolved. The ownership transitioned from wealthy commoners to newly rich merchants. In 1686, the name changed from “la Saussaye” to “Bel-Air”. Owners added buildings, extra floors, and transformed the access road into a grand courtyard. In 1759, the Marquis de Jumilhac, a nobleman, acquired the property. Bel-Air gradually took on the appearance of a small château, complete with a summer pavilion and steps. Other nobles followed, further enhancing the estate. Then came Etienne Clavière, a commoner with revolutionary ideas. During the French Revolution, Clavière and his wife tragically committed suicide in 1793. The Jacobin state seized Château Bel-Air. It was then auctioned off to a banker. In 1796, Paul Barras, a prominent figure in the French Directory, purchased the château. Some sources claim that he hosted Bonaparte there. In 1803, the Princess de Vaudemont acquired the property and initiated significant renovations. She added an orangery, a greenhouse, a guardhouse, and redesigned the park in the English style. Later owners continued to modify the Château des Sources. Louis-Marie Chabrier, a wealthy Parisian lamplighter, bought it in 1844. In 1874, the Château des Sources was sold yet again. This time, it was transformed into a private mental health institution. One of its most famous patients was Adèle, Victor Hugo’s daughter. She spent her last 43 years there. The clinic operated for almost a century before closing in 1973. Two years later, the Château des Sources was demolished, and the grounds became a park. Despite its name, the Château des Sources was never a true castle in the architectural sense. It was, however, the oldest aristocratic structure in Suresnes. Its rich history makes it a noteworthy site.