Photo : Wikimedia Commons
Château de Grosbois
The history of Grosbois, in the Val-de-Marne, begins under Louis XIII. Charles de Valois, the legitimised son of Charles IX and Marie Touchet, took over the estate built in 1597 by Nicolas de Harlay, a superintendent of finances under Henry IV. He added two wings and two pavilions, giving the château its present appearance.
The estate changed hands several times before being sold as national property in the Revolution to Barras, head of the Directory. It then belonged to General Moreau and to Fouché, and in 1805 to Marshal Berthier, a grand dignitary of the Empire, who filled the château with Napoleonic presence. He had the salons decorated with Empire furniture by Jacob Frères, paintings and family portraits, a gallery of battles, Aubusson armchairs, a fan collection, a leather screen and frescoes.
His son, Napoléon Berthier, created the library, which holds more than 3,000 military and historical works and a collection of maps and battle plans.
