Whispers of history linger along Chemin de Montguichet. This quiet road in Gagny holds secrets. It leads to a place of immense significance. The Chateau de Montguichet stands tall. Its story begins long ago.
In 1331 the domain was first mentioned. Marguerite de Meulan sold the Chateellenie de Gournay. Jeanne de Navarre Charles IV’s widow bought it. Montguichet was a rear-fief of the chateellenie. The chateau’s earliest form was a fortress.
Later entirely razed constructions were replaced. Two symmetrical pavilions rose. Each pavilion had two floors. Nine windows lined their facades. A central tower stood tall. It had several openings. A terrace crowned the tower. A lantern-like campanile topped it. A warning bell hung there. The watchman rang it to alert of suspicious individuals.
Many owners followed. Jean Bodin advisor to Henri III lived there. Jean-Baptiste Silva Louis XV’s and Voltaire’s physician acquired it in 1729. The Hocquart family owned it longest. From 1758 to the Revolution. Jean Hocquart’s presumed emigration led to sequestration. In 1794 Montguichet was sold. The main house and outbuildings went to Francois Honore. The park and woods were bought by Quebert-Leroux.
Madame Hocquart’s efforts to repurchase the estate required loans. She died before repaying them. Her daughter burdened by debts sold everything. Monsieur Honore Binet sold the domain to the Mathis couple in 1856. Their daughter widowed by Monsieur Foex owned it in 1888.
Around 1893 the Baron de Laumont acquired the chateau. His daughter the Countess Marquiset inherited it. Her son Armand Marquiset spent a privileged childhood there. He moved between the family hotel and the chateau. He founded the Petits Freres des Pauvres in 1946.
In 1950 Armand Marquiset transformed his birthplace. He offered holidays to his elderly friends. Many more “chateaux du bonheur” opened their doors later. Today the chateau remains a haven. It offers vacations to underprivileged elderly people. An annex built in 1989 expanded it.
The vast 23-hectare estate was partly sold in 1970. The ARPEI created a center for work assistance there. The Petits Freres des Pauvres retained a 9-hectare park. It remains a pleasant place for residents to stroll. Chemin de Montguichet thus connects to a history of ownership change charity and community service. It quietly witnesses the passage of time. The chateau stands as a testament to resilience and compassion.