One of the largest private castles in the Paris region has become over the years the preferred location for the most beautiful luxury brands. Dior, Chopard, Polo Ralph Lauren and many others take advantage of this exceptional place.
Barely visible from the road, in the middle of an immense domain, the castle of Baronville is the property of Count Aymeric de Rougé, descendant of the d’Aligre family, a great family of the nobility of Chartres. The castle is nestled in its green setting, in Béville-le-Comte (Eure-et-Loir).
“It is a building that has known several lives” explains Aymeric de Rougé. Indeed, the current castle, its third version, dates from 1868 and was built by the architect Léon de Sanges, who also built the Bagatelle castle, in the Bois-de-Boulogne.
The castle of Baronville has a lot to offer: more than 400 hectares cultivated organically and the same surface of sustainably managed woods, the sumptuous residence with more than two hundred windows and its gigantic domain extend over four communes, including Béville-le-Comte and Oinville-Sous-Auneau. “It was my great-great grandfather who had the castle built to host the great receptions of the Second Empire,” says Aymeric de Rougé.
Two hundred and fifty years later, the owner of the place decided to rent out his residence, its parks and its stables for receptions, film shoots and photo shoots. Indeed, maintaining such a place generates costs related to the talented craftsmen and staff who work there every day. “In 2008, we hosted the filming of the movie Coco before Chanel, directed by Anne Fontaine, starring Audrey Tautou, Benoît Poelvoorde and Alessandro Nivola.”
The castle, listed as an additional historical monument, has also been the site of numerous shootings and advertisements. Taking advantage of the sumptuous setting, brands such as Dior, Chanel, Balmain and Polo Ralph Lauren have been seduced. “When you see these brands arrive, they bring with them specialists from all over the world, it’s crazy. A Japanese designer, an Italian photographer, an American lighting designer… They are all hyper-competent in their fields,” admires Aymeric de Rougé.
For the Polo Ralph Lauren advertising campaign, the team of about 50 people spent four days on site two months ago: “Whether it’s the workers who work here, some of whom are Meilleur ouvriers de France, or the designers from New York or Singapore, they are all artists. They all have gold in their hands, with talent and know-how. (…) They sublimate this place that I know by heart and give it a new dimension.”
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Many personalities have also enjoyed this majestic setting, such as the singer Elton John, the soccer player Ronaldo or the actors Michel Galabru and Jean Rochefort. No doubt that the castle will continue to attract crowds. “What attracts is the maintenance: it’s rare to find such well-maintained estates,” says the owner.
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Featured photo : © Rod&Roy
