France’s Historic Petit Versailles Château Sold – Inspired Pablo Picasso
Some 36 kilometres west of Paris, Château du Marais is located in the French municipality of Le Val-Saint-Germain, in the Essonne region. The château was built in the 18th century by the architect Jean Benoît Vincent Barré and is known as “Petit Versailles”. For many years the estate was owned by the Pourtalès and Frotier de Bagneux families, who commissioned Engel & Völkers with the sale. “Every château stands as testimony to a long tradition where history passed down to a new custodian. Brokering such properties requires proven expertise, particularly when it comes to potential concepts for use, renovation work and dealings with heritage authorities,” says Alexis Caquet, Managing Director of the Engel & Völkers Market Center in Paris. The real estate specialists in the French capital managed every stage and detail of the sales process, finding a new buyer through the international Engel & Völkers network. Château du Marais changed hands in June 2022. The new owner is the Czech businessman Daniel Křetínský.
Magnificent château steeped in history
Château du Marais is regarded as one of the most remarkable buildings from the Regency period of Louis XVI and is listed as a historic monument. The interiors cannot fail to impress with their original period details, including furnishings, paintings, sculptures and handcrafted objects. The estate includes a 35-hectare landscaped park featuring magnificent gardens and a 550-metre-long mirror lake running towards the west façade of the main château.
The aristocratic families who have owned and resided in the château include the Noailles, Castellante, Talleyrand-Périgord dynasties and, most recently, the Pourtalès and Frotier de Bagneux families. “Acquiring and maintaining properties with such an immense heritage involves taking on enormous responsibilities and goes hand in hand with a real passion, expertise and attention to detail,” says Alexis Caquet, adding, “Chateaux are true gems that rarely come onto the market. So the need for expert advice on both the buyer and seller side is very high.
