Château de Vallery: A Historic French Renaissance Estate

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.chateaudevallery.com

Country: France

Civilization: Early Modern, Medieval European

Site type: Domestic

Remains: Palace

History

The Château de Vallery is situated in the commune of Vallery, France. Its origins trace back to a fortified site established by the medieval lords of the region, notably serving as the main residence of the viscounts of Sens during the 12th and 13th centuries.

In the mid-16th century, the estate changed hands when Jacques d’Albon de Saint-André, a marshal of France and a favored companion of King Henri II, acquired the land in 1548. Around 1550, he initiated the construction of a Renaissance palace atop the medieval fortress’s footprint. This ambitious project employed leading artisans of the time but remained incomplete. Progress was interrupted following the death of King Henri II in 1559 and the marshal’s own death in 1562.

Following these events, the widow of Jacques d’Albon transferred the property in 1564 to Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé. The château remained within the Condé family for nearly 200 years and functioned notably as a burial site for several family members. A distinguished monument in homage to Henry II de Bourbon-Condé, who died in 1646, was installed in the parish church near the château. Crafted from marble by the sculptor Gilles Guérin, this funerary piece highlights the site’s connection to the Condé lineage.

In the latter part of the 17th century, the main residential section known as the south wing was dismantled under the direction of Louise-Anne de Bourbon-Condé, also titled Mlle de Sens. Further structural demolitions and changes occurred during the 18th and 19th centuries, which contributed to the gradual decline of the château’s condition. The property passed through various owners during this period, including Jacques-René Cordier de Launay in the mid-18th century and General Louis-Marie Lévesque de la Ferrière in the early 19th century. By the 20th century, the château had fallen into disuse and was left abandoned for some time.

Starting in 1989, the site found a new role, housing a private company that uses the château for wedding ceremonies and related events, marking a recent chapter in its long and varied history.

Remains

The Château de Vallery presents a distinct arrangement characteristic of the French Early Renaissance style, with construction initiated around 1550. The layout originally featured two wings positioned perpendicularly and connected by a corner pavilion. This design was erected on the foundations and precincts of the earlier medieval fortress, traces of which remain visible, including parts of 12th-century walls and towers that contribute to the fortress’s defensive heritage.

The buildings incorporate a combination of brick and white stone for corners and decorative accents, lending the façades a contrasting appearance enhanced by polychrome marble in deep red and black hues. The château’s interiors adhered to Renaissance ideals with elaborate moldings and ornamental detailing. Notably, parts of the interior decoration were shaped by Francesco Primaticcio, a key figure of the Fontainebleau School, whose influence is particularly evident in the ceilings once adorning the south wing.

Elevated on a mound overlooking the village of Vallery, the château’s grounds were demarcated by the surviving medieval curtain wall, which still defines two separate courtyards. The upper courtyard, known as the cour d’honneur or main courtyard, served as the principal open space, while below lay the basse-cour or secondary yard, which accommodated the stables. A wall separated these areas situated on sloped terrain.

The south wing, positioned next to a 14th-century entrance châtelet—a small fortified gatehouse—was developed under the guidance of Pierre Lescot, who oversaw the architectural design, with Léonard Fontaine acting as master of works and Guillaume Marchant as master mason. Over time, alterations altered the château’s profile: in the 19th century, portions of the west wing’s northern section were removed, the gallery that once connected two garden pavilions was destroyed, and the top floor together with the attic of the corner pavilion was dismantled, lowering the roofs. Some façades were completed during this period with decorative work imitating the original style.

The Renaissance gardens, established by Pierre Lescot during the mid-1500s for the marshal, were organized with precision into sixteen square parterres arranged symmetrically around a central rectangular water basin. This garden complex also included a surrounding park partially contained by the medieval walls. Within these grounds, various grapevines were cultivated, and extensive irrigation was facilitated through a canal and basin system. A gallery featuring 29 brick arches once linked two garden pavilions; although this structure no longer exists, the overall garden layout is preserved. Elements such as the garden portico, pavilion, dyke, orchard, vegetable patch, basin, and irrigation canal have been officially recognized as historic monuments since 1946.

The Grande Galerie, initially supported by a sequence of arches forming an arcade, underwent enclosure and internal subdivision during the 18th and 19th centuries. Recent restoration efforts have sought to return this space to its original expansive proportions.

Today, the surviving features of Château de Vallery offer a composite glimpse into its evolution from a medieval fortification to a Renaissance residence, with traces of original construction and later modifications visible across its courtyards, buildings, and gardens.