Château de Vallery
Encyclopedia
The Early Renaissance French Château de Vallery, in Vallery
, in the département of Yonne
in the Burgundy
region of France
, was built in 1548 for Jacques d'Albon de Saint-André, marquis de Fronsac, a court favorite of Henri II
and maréchal de France. It was never completed, and what remains of it have been sadly mutilated. The site he chose was the ancient château-fort of Vallery
, dating in part to the early thirteenth century; he purchased it 16 April 1548. The architect was the king's architect, Pierre Lescot
, who also built the hôtel particulier
of the Maréchal in Paris (demolished). Vallery's facades, today of brick with stone quoins and details, were originally covered with red and black marble.
Works at Vallery were interrupted by the king's death (1559), followed by that of the Maréchal (1562). Two years later his widow passed Vallery to Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
, who decorated the ceilings of the south wing: Francesco Primaticcio
provided some of the internal decoration in the manner of his School of Fontainebleau
. Engravings of Vallery and its parterre
gardens at this time appeared in Jacques Androuet du Cerceau
's Les plus excellents bastiments de France.
In the church is the grand marble tomb of Henry II de Bourbon, prince de Condé
(1588-1646), designed by the illustrious sculptor Gilles Guérin
. After drawings by Sengre documented the state of the château, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, Louise-Anne de Bourbon-Condé, Mlle de Sens (1695-1768), daughter of Louis III de Bourbon, prince de Condé
, demolished the south wing, which was the main corps de logis
, leaving the west wing, a grand gallery supported on an arcade, which was now closed in, and the southwest corner pavilion
. In 1747 the heiress Elisabeth de Condé sold the château; it suffered further demolitions and alterations, and in the twentieth century it lay for some time abandoned. More recently its Grande Galerie has had its partitions removed and is restored to its original dimensions; the château is currently rented for wedding parties.
Vallery
Vallery is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-History:The town was acquired by Louis de Bourbon, prince de Condé - uncle of the future Henry IV of France. The town thus became one of the many lands that was acquired by the Condé family over the years. Louis' son...
, in the département of Yonne
Yonne
Yonne is a French department named after the Yonne River. It is one of the four constituent departments of Burgundy in eastern France and its prefecture is Auxerre. Its official number is 89....
in the Burgundy
Bourgogne
Burgundy is one of the 27 regions of France.The name comes from the Burgundians, an ancient Germanic people who settled in the area in early Middle-age. The region of Burgundy is both larger than the old Duchy of Burgundy and smaller than the area ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy, from the modern...
region of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, was built in 1548 for Jacques d'Albon de Saint-André, marquis de Fronsac, a court favorite of Henri II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
and maréchal de France. It was never completed, and what remains of it have been sadly mutilated. The site he chose was the ancient château-fort of Vallery
Vallery
Vallery is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-History:The town was acquired by Louis de Bourbon, prince de Condé - uncle of the future Henry IV of France. The town thus became one of the many lands that was acquired by the Condé family over the years. Louis' son...
, dating in part to the early thirteenth century; he purchased it 16 April 1548. The architect was the king's architect, Pierre Lescot
Pierre Lescot
Pierre Lescot was a French architect active during the French Renaissance, "the man who was first responsible for the implantation of pure and correct classical architecture in France." He was born in Paris....
, who also built the hôtel particulier
Hôtel particulier
In French contexts an hôtel particulier is an urban "private house" of a grand sort. Whereas an ordinary maison was built as part of a row, sharing party walls with the houses on either side and directly fronting on a street, an hôtel particulier was often free-standing, and by the 18th century it...
of the Maréchal in Paris (demolished). Vallery's facades, today of brick with stone quoins and details, were originally covered with red and black marble.
Works at Vallery were interrupted by the king's death (1559), followed by that of the Maréchal (1562). Two years later his widow passed Vallery to Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis de Bourbon was a prominent Huguenot leader and general, the founder of the House of Condé, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon.-Life:...
, who decorated the ceilings of the south wing: Francesco Primaticcio
Francesco Primaticcio
Francesco Primaticcio was an Italian Mannerist painter, architect and sculptor who spent most of his career in France.-Biography:...
provided some of the internal decoration in the manner of his School of Fontainebleau
School of Fontainebleau
The Ecole de Fontainebleau refers to two periods of artistic production in France during the late Renaissance centered around the royal Château de Fontainebleau, that were crucial in forming the French version of Northern Mannerism....
. Engravings of Vallery and its parterre
Parterre
A parterre is a formal garden construction on a level surface consisting of planting beds, edged in stone or tightly clipped hedging, and gravel paths arranged to form a pleasing, usually symmetrical pattern. Parterres need not have any flowers at all...
gardens at this time appeared in Jacques Androuet du Cerceau
Androuet du Cerceau
Androuet du Cerceau was a family of French architects and designers active in the 16th and early 17th century.*Jacques I Androuet du Cerceau *Jean Baptiste Androuet du Cerceau...
's Les plus excellents bastiments de France.
In the church is the grand marble tomb of Henry II de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Henry II de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Henri de Bourbon became Prince of Condé shortly after his birth, following the death of his father Henri I...
(1588-1646), designed by the illustrious sculptor Gilles Guérin
Gilles Guérin
Gilles Guérin was a French sculptor of the second rank, providing tomb sculptures and decorative sculptures in interiors, in the Baroque idiom.-Notable works:...
. After drawings by Sengre documented the state of the château, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, Louise-Anne de Bourbon-Condé, Mlle de Sens (1695-1768), daughter of Louis III de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis III, Prince of Condé
Louis de Bourbon, , was Prince of Condé for less than a year, following the death of his father Henry III, Prince of Condé in 1709...
, demolished the south wing, which was the main corps de logis
Corps de logis
Corps de logis is the architectural term which refers to the principal block of a large, usually classical, mansion or palace. It contains the principal rooms, state apartments and an entry. The grandest and finest rooms are often on the first floor above the ground level: this floor is the...
, leaving the west wing, a grand gallery supported on an arcade, which was now closed in, and the southwest corner pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
. In 1747 the heiress Elisabeth de Condé sold the château; it suffered further demolitions and alterations, and in the twentieth century it lay for some time abandoned. More recently its Grande Galerie has had its partitions removed and is restored to its original dimensions; the château is currently rented for wedding parties.