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Villarceaux domain

In a large walled park and in the heart of the Vexin regional park, the Villarceaux domain presents two main buidings: the Ninon's manor in the valley and a castle on the top of the hill. The domain features a large architectural diversity resulting from a constant evolution from the Middle age to the present.

The manor, at the origin a fortified house from the XII - XIIIth century transformed in castle in the XVth century, has been deeply modified at the Renaissance, leaving its defensive aspect for a more pleasant architecture. During the Sun King's reign, it has been owned by Louis de Mornay, captain of the hunting royal dog pack. This manor is mainly known for having housed his love with Ninon de Lanclos, friend of the future Madame de Maintenon. Still today, the Ninon's memory haunts every part of the domain.

From 1755 to 1759, the castle so-called "Château du Haut" was built from the plans of Jean Baptiste Courtonne.

A large perspective was opened to link the new castle to the lower part of the domain, with a succession of grass taluts, terraces and stairs. The convex form of the taluts is so-called "vertugadins", from the name of the underskirts with osier sticks used for puffing the women's dress of that time.

The domain has been self sufficient during long time thanks to the products of the the farms and mainly thanks to the pisciculture in successive ponds feed by numberous sources. One of them, so called "Ninon's Source " can be still seen today under the Saint-Nicolas tower, now transformed in dovecote.