Our history
OUR HISTORY
Once upon a time...
Château de Montvillargenne
James de Rothschild, a descendant of the famous banking family, had 2 children with his wife Thérèse: Henri and Jeanne. In 1878, they acquired property in Gouvieux from the Duc d'Aumale, heir to the Château de Chantilly, where James built the Château des Fontaines. At the age of 22, their daughter Jeanne married Baron Léonino, sharing a social life while being at the heart of important charities. In 1911, she built Château de Montvillargenne, close to the Château des Fontaines where her mother lived. Construction was completed in 1914.
The Rotshild family
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ATYPICAL ARCHITECTURE
Léon-Maurice Chatenay, architect to the Rothschild family, was commissioned to build the château for Baroness Jeanne, who was very attached to the Gouvieux region. The building was eclectic in style, with Neo-Norman half-timbering, British windows and Württemberg roofs. Jeanne had two coats of arms engraved on the façade: that of the Rothschilds and that of the Léonino family, a lion and the initial "L", which can still be seen today. The château, with its hushed ambience, offered large, welcoming spaces and wooded salons, which have been preserved to the present day.
ITALIAN-STYLE GARDENS
Charles Masson, the landscape architect, took advantage of the sloping ground to create a succession of terraces, giving the whole an Italian garden feel. The grand staircase opened up to provide a view of the park and the town of Gouvieux from the rotunda.
In these gardens, Baroness Jeanne cultivated a passion for flowers, in particular orchids and roses, where she built large greenhouses, a rose garden and orange groves.
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JEANNE'S COMMITMENT
Jeanne often stayed at the château, returning to Paris in the autumn. A shy character, Baroness Jeanne won the admiration of all for her personal involvement in her mother's social works: frequent visits to the Gouvieux hospital for the war-wounded, the transport of coal for the most destitute, the creation of an orphanage... The château even sheltered resting medical personnel between 1915 and 1919.
She died in 1929, aged 55. Her mother joined her two years later. A new page was turned for the château...
Montvillargenne castle
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THE SECOND WORLD WAR-1941/1944
After being abandoned for some ten years, on July 1, 1941, 500 men and the German headquarters took over the château. The château was bombed several times by the Allies. In 1944, the left wing of the château was severely damaged. One of the walls was ripped open, causing extensive, irreparable damage. In autumn 1944, American troops took over from the occupying army.
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L'ORDRE DU SACRÉ COEUR - 1947/1969
On April 30, 1947, the Mother Vicar of the Order of the Sacred Heart acquired the estate to set up a novitiate, then adjacent to the Society of Jesus at Château des Fontaines, former residence of Baroness Thérèse de Rothschild.
Trained as an architect, Mother Superior rebuilt the left wing and built a chapel in September 1948. The site then became a boarding school for 24 girls. In 1968, it welcomed 100 boarders, but closed in 1969 for lack of a suitable educational environment.
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LE CREAR-1970/1985
In 1970, the Centre de Culture Ouvrière de Nogent-sur-Marne, including INFAC, founded in 1962 by Dominique Alumni, acquired the Montvillargenne. It developed CREAR, a concept unique in France, bringing together 40 workshops dedicated to training in arts and crafts, artistic expression and communication. The aim was to raise the profile of manual work and arts and crafts. The CREAR became an exceptional school for social advancement, training over 20,000 top-level journeymen in 20 years.
THE LARGEST CHÂTEAU HOTEL IN FRANCE - 1985
In 1985, the Château de Montvillargenne moved into the hotel and restaurant business. Montvillargenne, both in terms of size and activity, has become one of the most important Châteaux-Hotels in France.
In 2003, the Château was awarded its 4th star, becoming a local landmark in terms of service and history.
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A PLACE TO LIVE IN TRIBUTE TO JEANNE
In 2019, the 369° Hôtels & Maisons group acquires the Château de Montvillargenne. Concerned with preserving its soul, it is undertaking a renovation that respects the history of the site.
Château de Montvillargenne's reputation as one of the region's and the world's most legendary establishments is growing by the day, as it becomes a meeting place for business events and family get-togethers.
True to Jeanne's generous spirit, it embodies hospitality and sharing, honoring those who have worked for the good of others.
