Château de Méréville: A Romantic Landscape Park Created in the 18th Century

The Château de Méréville is a French treasure that was built in the 18th century. The financier Jean-Joseph de Laborde began to rebuild the château and create a large landscape park in 1786 after purchasing the property. He recruited major artists such as Bélanger, Leleu, Pajou, and Vernet to help with the project. However, the project was threatening to prove too expensive even for the marquis, and in May 1786, Bélanger was sacked as chief architect and replaced by Hubert Robert.

The park was constructed on marshy land that required exceptional hydrographic work, with the rerouting of the Juine taking a long time to achieve. A highlight of the park was the rostral column built on the main lake’s small island in 1787 to commemorate Laborde’s two young sons, who died during the La Pérouse expedition. The château itself is a remnant of the medieval fortress that stood there before. In 1877, a book titled 'Méréville, son château et son parc' was published, providing an account of the history and beauty of the château and its garden park. After it was again restored to its former glory, Château de Méréville was once again open to the public in 2018.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons