A little history of Les Ormes castle
And also
The tops
In the 15th century, a primitive stronghold was replaced by a bigger castle, raised by the de Marans family.
Fell to d’Elberre and Galard de Béarn families, the castle was altered by the Pussort in 1642: they raised the current main building on the left, which housed kitchens!
In 1729, the estate was owned by Marc-Pierre de Voyer d'Argenson, Louis XV’s future minister... his favourite one! But he fell from grace, because he opposed the king’s favourite, madame de Pompadour...
He moved in Les Ormes with his mistress... and left his wife in Paris with her own lover! He lived here, then the king allowed him to come back in Paris, in 1764... one year after, he died!
Argenson’s son entirely altered the castle: he put architect Charles de Wailly in charge of the building site, a sir who raised the Odéon theatre in Paris.
The castle had 7 buildings raised around a vast courtyard. D’Argenson also added a column on this courtyard, with a little inner staircase. A very, hiiigh column!
In fact, it was Marc-Pierre’s son bet: his friend duke de Choiseul just raised his pagoda, in Chanteloup. He was jealous, so he decided to show him that he could do the same thing! So that was why he erected that column... but les Ormes was sold during the Revolution: D’Argenson family came back and owned their estate back in 1800.
23 years later, one of the member destroyed the central main building and the column. What a pity!
Architect Coulomb re-raised the main building in the 20th century, with Mansart roof and a triangular pediment. You know what? Nowadays we can visit the 18th century apartments!