Welcome to the Domaine Château Ermenonville
Reopening of the Château from Wednesday Evening to Sunday Afternoon
Take a journey into the heart of history
The Château d’Ermenonville; a historical landmark.
Located in the heart of the princely forests, facing the Parc Jean-Jacques Rousseau and surrounded by a moat, this magnificent building on the waters of the River Launette combines pleasure, comfort and a pastoral ambiance.
The exterior of the building was designed in the aesthetically rich style of the Age of Enlightenment. In addition to the beauty of the location you will appreciate the majesty of the architecture, the elegance of the restaurant and the salon with its remarkable woodwork.
The Château is open throughout the year, so you can enjoy the tranquillity and the views from the rooms overlooking the gardens, the terrace and the huge park. Take the opportunity during your stay to visit the historical monuments surrounding the estate.
- 20 minutes from Charles de Gaulle Airport
- 40 minutes from Paris
SHUTTLE : rates on request at the front desk
Pets accepted: 20 € / day and per animal
Discover our history and ours activities
History
The Castle of Ermenonville, a medieval fortress :
The lords of Senlis built a medieval fortress in Ermenonville to manage the traffic between Meaux and Senlis and to assert their power. The first stone of the building was laid in 987. It is provided with an enclosure surrounded by four towers and a drawbridge. In the middle of the 14th century, the castle passed into the hands of Robert de Lorris who took charge of the work after the fire of 1358, following the popular movements during the Great Jacquerie.
In France, the wars of religion, epidemics and famine made the end of the 16th century a painful time. It was in this unstable context that Dominique de Vic, a companion in arms of Henri IV, acquired the estate of Ermenonville and its fortress in 1592. This acquisition led to Henri IV's visit to Ermenonville.
From the medieval castle to the 18th century pleasure house:
It was not until the first quarter of the 18th century that the castle took on its current appearance as a pleasure house. In 1728, Lord Claude-Louis Lombard made an architectural reorganization that elevated the castle to new functions as a vacation home.
The exterior as a space for creation and reflection:
The Marquis René Louis de Girardin inherited the estate from his grandfather René Hatte and became its sole owner in 1763. Inspired by Jean Jacques Rousseau's New Heloise, he transformed the marshy exteriors into English-style gardens. In the manner of landscape paintings, they show the will to create a philosophical and poetic walk in an elegant disorder.
Jean Jacques Rousseau lived his last days in Ermenonville, where he was buried on the Île des Peupliers in 1778. The place became famous and was visited by many illustrious people, such as Marie-Antoinette, Benjamin Franklin, Robespierre, Mirabeau, Danton, Saint-Just, Camille Desmoulins or even the Swedish king Gustav III.
The maintenance of the estate became a heavy burden for Girardin's successors, who decided to put it up for sale. Its purchase serves as a dowry for the wife of Prince Constantine Radziwill. The Radziwill family lived in Ermenonville until the death of Léon Radziwill in 1927.
Dismantling of the tangible and intangible heritage:
In 1930, the Château and the factories in the Park were listed in the supplementary inventory of historical monuments (order of June 11, 1930). Two years later, Ettore Bugatti purchased the estate in the name of a non-trading real estate company, which led to the dismantling of the entire tangible heritage of the estate. In 1938, the Grand Parc was sold to the Tourning Club de France to save it and open it to the public. It then became the Parc Jean Jacques Rousseau.
From private residence to hotel, the search for new revenues to save the place -The opening to the public- :
It has been seen in the past that the maintenance of the estate is an important burden that can lead to its loss. This is why, from 1964 onwards, the various owners, starting with Mr Henri Montarnal, opened the castle to the public in order to consider self-financing. In 1991, the Château was bought by Philippe Savry's group: Les Hôtels Particuliers, which converted the Château into a hotel-restaurant, just like it is today.
In 2018 the castle was bought by the Luxempire group, which created the dinosaur park with circus activities and themed evenings to open the castle to a wider public.
Finally, in 2022, the castle was bought by Mr. Matthieu Gufflet who wanted to offer the hotel's guests a natural interlude in a setting full of history.
Activities at the Château
Located in the Ermenonville forest, less than 5km from the Scandibérique bicycle route (Pont-Ste-Maxence/Ermenonville), the Ermenonville stroll or the writers' trail that links Chaalis and Ermenonville, we are an ideal accommodation for bicycle lovers.
From mid-March on, the castle offers electric bikes for rent (39€/day and 25€/half day) and mechanical bikes (25€/day and 18€/half day).
A repair kit and a pump are also available on site.
For groups, we offer bikes for rent for a ride or can organize an inter-team rally.
We also offer other activities:
- The Castle Park
- Boat trip
- Horseback riding (Nanteuil equestrian center)
- Board games
- Massage (on reservation)
Champagne testing
Every Friday at 6:00 pm in the beautiful vaulted cellar of the Relais de la Croix d'or, 2 minutes from the castle, taste 3 different champagnes and discover the wonderful world of this sparkling wine so festive in the company of Emma Witzelmann sommelier specialized in the wine of Champagne.
The tastings are different every Friday and can be composed of 4 champagnes, 3 champagnes associated with pastries or 3 champagnes associated with savory dishes.
The price is 39€/person and the tasting lasts 1 hour.
Book on 03.44.54.00.26 or on reception@domainechateauermenonville.com