Château de Léry

Did Jean de Léry ever imagine his legacy etched into the very stones of Château de Léry? This majestic château, nestled in Auvers-sur-Oise, has witnessed centuries of history unfold. Château de Léry began its life around 1635. It was initially designed for Zanobi Lioni, an Italian financier connected to Marie de Medici. The château boasted a distinctly Italian terraced roof, elegant gardens cascading down terraces, and serene ponds and fountains. Two orangeries, north and south, framed the main structure. A belvedere offered breathtaking views of the village and the Oise Valley below. Fast forward to 1662, Jean de Léry, a royal advisor and Chief Treasurer of France, acquired the château. He transformed it from an Italian casa into a French château. Léry added outbuildings, a courtyard, a farmyard, and a lower garden connected by a charming bridge, securing hunting rights on the Auvers estate. The château passed through various hands. In 1720, the Espréménil family took ownership. Around 1756, they remodeled the château, preserving the Louis XIII style on the north side while reconstructing the south side and adding two pavilions. In 1765, it was sold to the Prince of Conti, who primarily used it as a hunting lodge. A testament to his ownership is the nymphaeum, a shell-covered grotto north of the entrance, proudly displaying the Conti crest. Louis Claude Chéron de la Bruyère, a deputy in the legislative assembly, became the next owner in 1779. Imprisoned during the French Revolution, he later served as Auvers’ mayor and then Prefect of Vienne. His son, Henri, dedicated his life to Château de Léry. He even persuaded the council to exempt the château’s bridge and staircase from alignment rules, deeming them historic features of the former Conti estate. The Gosselin family owned Château de Léry from 1882 to 1939. In 1987, the Conseil général du Val-d’Oise acquired and restored it. From 1994 to 2016, the château hosted “A Journey through the Time of the Impressionists,” celebrating the artists who left their mark on the Oise Valley. Today, Château de Léry stands as a beautiful blend of Italian and French architectural styles. It’s a silent witness to the passage of time.