Château de Droupt-Saint-Basle

In 1580, Louis Le Mairat, bourgeois of Troyes, acquired this estate and obtained from King Henry III the authorization to surround his house with walls and posterns and a ditch with a drawbridge, still visible today. today. But, the square plan and the 3 gunboat towers placed at the corners still recall the defensive purpose of the constructions. In the middle of the 18th century, the estate returned to Pierre-Nicolas Guillaume de Chavaudon De Sainte Maure, Counselor at the Cour des Aides in Paris. He will then undertake major works, anxious to bring his property into line with the tastes of the nobility of his time. Emigrated during the French Revolution, the family manages to keep its property at the end of the Revolution. The castle was modified over successive heirs, and at the end of the 19th century, the castle was adorned with a winter garden. During the German occupation during the Second World War, the castle was requisitioned by the Germans who made it a hospital and a place of convalescence for the 150 soldiers who occupied it. The Marquise de Chavaudon was forced to move to the pavilion adjoining the castle, and after the departure of the Germans she refused to return to live in the castle, while continuing to ensure its maintenance. On the death of the Marquise in 1974, her 12 nephews and nieces shared the estate, sold the castle, goods and furniture and unfortunately dispersed the family papers, archives of the family memory. The property sees multiple buyers who give up maintaining it and it is gradually dilapidated, the roof and the facades are pierced with holes, the moats are filled in, the animals of the forest take up residence inside the castle. . Its destruction was even considered in the early 1980s. The property was finally bought by Jean-Pierre and Claire Paupe in 1983. The whole family and friends threw themselves body and soul into the restoration of the castle, as well as two full-time workers for almost 20 years. It is a real success. Today, the castle but also its outbuildings, its staircases and chimneys are now listed as Historic Monuments. A succession of Prizes have come to reward the work of the Paupe family, including the Gold Medal awarded by La Renaissance Française for the restoration of heritage awarded in 1999. The Paupe family has thus enabled the castle to acquire a new life, new life which today aspires only to be written. In May 2021, the François Family becomes the owner of the castle, with the desire to continue the path of restoration of it. Anyone wishing to bring this magical place to life and make it available to everyone, by making it a private and unique reception venue. THE CASTLE CANNOT BE VISITED.

Last updated on 22/12/2022 - Office de Tourisme du Nogentais et de la Vallée de la Seine