| Château de Balleroy | |
|---|---|
 The facade and box hedge maze. | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Calvados,Balleroy,Basse-Normandie,Normandy |
| Country | France |
| Coordinates | 49°10′45″N0°50′35″W / 49.1792°N 0.8430°W /49.1792; -0.8430 |
| Construction started | 17th C |
| Construction stopped | 17th C |
| Owner | Jean de Choisy (original) |
| Website | |
| http://www.chateau-balleroy.fr/en/ | |
| References | |
| [1] | |
TheChâteau de Balleroy (French pronunciation:[ʃatodəbaləʁwa]) is a seventeenth-centurychâteau inBalleroy,Normandy.
The fief of Balleroy, near theforest andabbey ofCerisy, was acquired on April 1, 1600 by Jean de Choisy, wine supplier at the court ofHenry IV.[2]
The castle was built from 1626 to 1636 by his son, Jean II de Choisy[2] who becameState Councilor andchancellor ofGaston, Duke of Orléans, brother ofLouis XIII who hired architectFrançois Mansart from 1634 for the reconstruction of thechâteau de Blois.
The unknown architect, who had already drafted the plans of thechâteau de Berny, a remodeled dwelling for chancellorPierre Brûlart de Sillery (1624-1625), came frequently to Balleroy from 1632 to 1634 and consigned the old plans of the former castle and village, that were shifted and laid around a main axis to enable a view on road, avenue or honorary path, moderate slope,cour d'honneur framed by two square, long, low, common pavillons, covering floors of boxwood scrollwork, and a terrace surrounded by abalustrade.
A modern œuvre, which marks a turning point in the history of French architecture.[3]
Built in bricks,schist andpierre de Caen, the castle has a central pavillon topped by aroof lantern flanked by two lower buildings.[4] The others are set around the gardens draughted byAndré Le Nôtre.
The interior of the castle offers a grand salon remarkable for its paintings ofPierre Mignard :Le Char du Soleil, portraits ofLouis XIII and the family of his sonLouis XIV,[5] wanted by Mme de Choisy.
Thejardin à la française is made up of low boxwood hedges and a flanked terrasse of two pavillons. The castle dominates the riverDrôme.[5]
The garden is cited byPhilippe Thébaud among the 300 prettiest gardens in France.[5]
The castle is ranked as amonument historique since January 18, 1951 in France.[6]
One of the pavilions hosts theBallons museum, byMalcolm Forbes, which contains documents on theMontgolfier brothers.[5]
The most well-known of the family is Francois-Timoléon (1644-1724), 4th and last son of Jean III de Choisy, travestied by his mother when young — until the age of 18 —, to courtAnne of Austria and introduce him to the entourage of her younger son,Philippe of Orléans, of which he became a young gaming companion; as an abbot, he left famousMémoires pour servir l'histoire de Louis XIV (1737); he was sent as an ambassador to theKing of Siam in view of a conversion to Catholicism; in 1698, he sold Balleroy to the princesse d'Harcourt, born Françoise de Blacas.
In 1704, the Balleroy land became amarquisat, to the benefit of one of his cousins.
After the death of the two sons ofla Cour de Balleroy during theFrench Revolution, their grandson only took possession in 1827 and remained the property of the inheritors till it was bought in 1970-1971 by millionaire American businessmanMalcolm Forbes,[7] director ofForbes magazine.
The current owner is Los Angeles philanthropist, Roy T Eddleman.
Among the renowned inhabitants wereAlbert de Balleroy (Albert Félix Justin de la Cour de Balleroy), 19th centuryanimal painter, friend ofÉdouard Manet and thegroupe des Batignolles;[8] for of his tableaux representing hunting scenes deck the castle living room.Empress Eugénie possessed one of his œuvres.
Marcel Proust visited the Château along withPaul Helleu, a visit that may have provided part of the inspiration for the "Château de Guermantes" inIn Search of Lost Time.[8]
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