Did you know that the Château de Vilgénis in Massy near Paris has a history stretching back to the Gallo-Roman era? A villa rustica stood on this very spot. Imagine the lives lived here centuries ago.
The Château de Vilgénis wasn’t always the grand Empire-style building we see today. It started as a fortified farm in 1216. It later became a château with four towers around 1502. This was the time of the Fourquaud family. They were lawyers and prosecutors in the Parliament of Paris. They were also the lords of Vilgénis and Villemoisson. The family de Vigny expanded the estate in 1575. They added lands from Igny and Gommonvilliers. Ownership changed hands several times over the following centuries. Notable owners include Bertrand de Solly and Charles Levoyer.
In 1719 Claude Glucq a magistrate and Parisian industrialist purchased the estate. He filled the château with artwork. These included pieces by Nicolas Coustou. He also commissioned paintings from Alexandre-François Desportes. The estate boasted vibrant water features and a chapel. The château’s fortunes changed again. In 1765 Louis V Joseph de Bourbon-Condè inherited it. He had the park replanted and the entrance redesigned. He rebuilt the outbuildings and added an icehouse.
The French Revolution brought upheaval. The château was plundered and sold as national property. It was then used as a textile mill. Later in 1823 Charles Arnoult Delorme demolished the château. He used the materials to build the Passage Delorme in Paris. He built a bourgeois house nearby. This was decorated by the famous Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres.
Prince Jérôme Bonaparte acquired the domain in 1852. He rebuilt and enlarged it in the Empire style. He added stables and expanded the park. He even created two lakes. One lake was shaped like Napoleon I’s bicorne hat. A small island served as the hat’s cocarde. The château changed hands again. After several owners it was purchased in 1906 as a wedding gift. The American businessman William Ellis Corey gave it to his wife the singer Mabelle Gilman. After their divorce she kept the château. She entertained her lover the Infante Louis-Ferdinand of Orléans there.
During the First World War the château served as a convalescent home for American officers. Later the site was used by the military and then Air France. From 1950 to 2010 Air France used it as a training center. This marked a significant shift from its original residential function.
In 2010 Air France left. The site was divided. A portion was kept by Air France. The château and surrounding land were sold to Safran. They use it as a training and conference center. A part of the park became a public nature reserve. A new housing development was also created on the remaining land. Today the Château de Vilgénis stands as a testament to its rich and ever-evolving history. Its story continues to unfold.