Château de Neuilly

Could this unassuming building really have housed royalty? It’s hard to imagine, but you’re standing before a remnant of the once grand Château de Neuilly. Though nearly destroyed, its story is far from over. The original Château de Neuilly, a magnificent structure overlooking the Seine, was built in 1751. It was designed for the Comte d’Argenson, the Secretary of State for War under King Louis XV. Imagine the intellectual discussions that must have filled the air as luminaries like Voltaire and Rousseau graced its halls at the invitation of d’Argenson. Fast forward through the tumultuous French Revolution, and the Château de Neuilly found itself in the hands of Joachim Murat, Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother-in-law. Murat, ambitious and flamboyant, significantly expanded the Château. He even went as far as adding a whole new wing and throwing extravagant parties that would be the talk of the town. His reign at the Château was short-lived though. When Murat became King of Naples, the Château became a gift for Napoleon’s sister, Pauline Bonaparte. The Château saw another change of ownership in 1819, becoming the property of the House of Orleans. Louis-Philippe, the Duke of Orleans and future King of France, favored the Château de Neuilly and made it his summer residence. But revolution once again swept through France in 1848. The Château de Neuilly wasn’t spared. It was stormed, looted, and almost entirely destroyed by fire. Only a solitary wing, built during Murat’s time, survived the inferno. This wing, known as the “Pavillon de Madame Adélaïde”, still stands today. In 1907, it was incorporated into a convent, a testament to the Château de Neuilly’s enduring legacy.