Château de L'Auneau

The Château de L’Auneau is a late-19th-century residence located a few kilometres west of Chantonnay, in the Vendée department of the Pays de la Loire region in western France. It stands on a belvedere in the bas-bocage, overlooking the valley of the Petit Lay.

The present building, known as a “Villa-Castel”, was constructed between 1892 and 1899 by the Vendéen architect Joseph Libaudière for Professor Édouard Grimaux, a distinguished chemist, member of the Institut, and friend of Georges Clemenceau (he was also connected through family ties to the descendants of George Sand). The house is a square main block of Italian (Roman-inspired) design, preceded by an L-shaped wing that originally housed the caretaker’s quarters. The façades combine strict geometric order with subtle asymmetries, especially on the east and west sides, reflecting late-19th-century tastes.

The surrounding 5-hectare park was planted at the same time as the house (1899). Designed as a landscape park with Tuscan inspiration, it offers panoramic views over the bocage and features notable ornamental trees (Lebanon cedar, Himalayan cedar, blue cedar, liquidambar, purple beech, American walnut, umbrella pine and others). A long wall of the former kitchen garden is covered with English roses. The park has been labelled Jardin remarquable by the French Ministry of Culture since 2011.

The land itself has older roots: an earlier noble house of L’Auneau (linked to the seigneurie of Les Villattes) was burned during the French Revolution. The property later passed through the Bouquet and Boutet families before coming to Édouard Grimaux. In 1947 it was acquired by the David family and remains in the David/Gillet family today as a private residence. The park is open to visitors on selected dates (notably in July and September, and during national garden and heritage events) and the domain is also used for cultural events, receptions and guest accommodation.