Château de Guermantes

The Château de Guermantes, in the Seine-et-Marne, is one of the most striking examples of classical architecture in the Brie. Its construction was begun by Claude Viole, who died in 1638, from a family that had held the fief since the mid-16th century. In 1698 Paulin Pondre bought it and employed Jules Hardouin-Mansart on the building, completed in 1710, and André Le Nôtre on the garden. The Pondre family kept the estate until 1929. Marcel Proust later borrowed the name Guermantes for the aristocratic family in his novel.

The original furniture has been dispersed, but some rooms keep 17th- and 18th-century panelling. The estate includes many outbuildings, a dovecote and a large group of farm buildings. The park has been protected since 1944. The château is private property and is used as a seminar venue.

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