Castle's story
The name Condé owes its origin to the Celtic word meaning confluence.
The first traces of the lordship date from the 13th century. The castle thus belonged to the Benedictines of SAINT PIERRE de Lagny with all feudal rights in force. The latter retained ownership until the 15th century.
During this century, wars exhausted the resources of the Monastery and the Abbot of Lagny had to alienate part of his possessions.
The castle was therefore sold to the VAUDÉTAR family, a family originally from Lombardy, powerful at Court and richly endowed with properties in Brie.
Pierre de VAUDÉTAR paid faith and homage to the King of the lands of Condé-Sainte-Libiaire in 1526;
Guillaume de VAUDÉTAR renewed this homage.
The castle was burned down during the Wars of Religion, causing countless victims in Condé during the reigns of CHARLES VII (1403-1461), FRANCOIS II (1544-1560) and Henri III (1551-1589).
The castle was rebuilt during the 17th century.
The church part of CONDE, enclosed in the outbuildings of the castle, is dedicated to SAINTE LIBIAIRE. It dates from 1627 and has pretty stained glass windows by Thiercelin representing the taking of the veil and the beheading of SAINTE LIBIAIRE. This church was mistreated in the second part of the 16th century and rebuilt at the beginning of the following century.
In this church, we see the tomb of Messire Pierre de VAUDÉTAR, Prior of SAINT DENYS de VAULX, who died on the 23rd day of the year 1644.
On June 8, 1671, Jean-Louis de VAUDÉTAR esquire, ceded the castle to his brother, Léandre, accompanied by the 5th of the land of Condé.
On June 8, 1671, Jean-Louis de VAUDÉTAR esquire, ceded the castle to his brother, Léandre, accompanied by the 5th of the land of Condé.
Two years later, in 1673, the latter ceded the castle and sold his lordship which had been in his family for almost 2 centuries to Claude PORCHER, a rich bourgeois from Paris. Several owners followed, Jacques TILLIARI who in turn sold the estate to Michel SAULNIER becoming at the same time Lord of Montry who died on July 7, 1741. His estate was declared vacant and on May 21, 1743, the lands of Condé and Montry were acquired by Mr. LEMERCIER, squire-fourrier of the King's quarters for 145,000 pounds. When the latter died, his heirs ceded the castle to Denis-François D'AUGRAN d'ALLERAY, becoming the last lord of Condé-Sainte-Libiaire. He was state councilor and civil lieutenant of Paris. Sentenced to death on 9 Floréal Year II (April 28, 1794), as a counter-revolutionary for having sent money to his emigrant children and executed the same day, he responded to one of his judges at the revolutionary tribunal of Paris who asked him if he was unaware of the law prohibiting financing emigration: “No, but I know a more sacred one: it is the one which orders fathers to feed their children. » The property was sequestered and the furniture of the castle sold at auction on November 2, 1794.
Two years later, in 1673, the latter ceded the castle and sold his lordship which had been in his family for almost 2 centuries to Claude PORCHER, a rich bourgeois from Paris. Several owners followed, Jacques TILLIARI who in turn sold the estate to Michel SAULNIER becoming at the same time Lord of Montry who died on July 7, 1741. His estate was declared vacant and on May 21, 1743, the lands of Condé and Montry were acquired by Mr. LEMERCIER, squire-fourrier of the King's quarters for 145,000 pounds. When the latter died, his heirs ceded the castle to Denis-François D'AUGRAN d'ALLERAY, becoming the last lord of Condé-Sainte-Libiaire. He was state councilor and civil lieutenant of Paris. Sentenced to death on 9 Floréal Year II (April 28, 1794), as a counter-revolutionary for having sent money to his emigrant children and executed the same day, he responded to one of his judges at the revolutionary tribunal of Paris who asked him if he was unaware of the law prohibiting financing emigration: “No, but I know a more sacred one: it is the one which orders fathers to feed their children. » The property was sequestered and the furniture of the castle sold at auction on November 2, 1794.
The castle then passed into the hands of different owners including one of the most illustrious Mr. ROBERT nicknamed Robert THE DEVIL. It didn't take long for a tragic event to turn into a legend.
Thus the legend tells that on July 28, 1806, around 11:00 p.m., the young lady Marie-Anne TREVIN, lady DESPREZ, then aged 25, residing at the castle as a friend of Monsieur, was taking a walk on the Marne, accompanied by two little girls. aged 7 years and 38 months, as well as her maid. Due to unknown circumstances, the light boat capsized and the four people fell into the river. “One evening as he was bringing his victims back by boat from the MEAUX fair, he tipped his boat near the Moulin des ROIZES. After simulating a rescue, he swims back to the edge of the bank. The two children and the maid were drowned on the spot, the mother, supported by her skirts, was taken by the current to Fox Island where, exhausted, she sank. »
The castle was then sold on November 5, 1835 to the PERIER family, whose owner Madame Pauline PERIER (Marie Cécile Laurence (known as Pauline) Loyer (1788-1861)), widow of the former Minister of LOUIS PHILIPPE, birthplace of the President of the Republic.
From this union, they had two sons:
• Auguste Casimir-Perier (1811-1876), Minister of the Interior in the government of Adolphe Thiers (1871-1873); including his son. Jean Casimir-Perier, was President of the Republic from June 27, 1894 to January 16, 1895
• Paul Casimir-Perier (1812-1897).
By Prefectural decree of August 28, 1839, approved the following October 30, Madame Casimir PERIER was authorized to open a new bed to the Grand Morin river, the diversion of which was required for the construction of the canal, under the condition that the maintenance of the new bed would be in perpetuity the responsibility of the said Lady or that of her successors.
On August 18, 1841, Madame Casimir PERIER founded a free school for girls, run by Sisters. She thus gave the Commune a newly built house in the old vegetable garden of the castle for the creation of a girls' school, on the condition that the teaching would be given by a nun.
The Condé-Sainte-Libiaire estate was then sold by candlelight to Mr. François CAVÉ, on June 22, 1852, for the sum of 100,100 Francs. François CAVÉ was a great mechanical industrialist with his workshops in Paris and Levallois-Perret.
From 1839-1840 the first French-made locomotives were delivered by the Schneider du Creusot and François Cavé workshops in Paris. François Cavé's workshop located at the top of the Faubourg Saint-Denis employed 600 workers and covered 2 hectares in 1840.
At the time, the Château de Condé-Sainte-Libiaire estate was a charming property covering 21 hectares and including:
- A main body with 2 side wings with:
- In the basement: vaulted cellars with kitchen, dairy, fruit store and charcoal store,
- On the ground floor: living room, dining room, billiard table, kitchen, pantry, office, workshop and 6 master bedrooms,
- On the 1st floor: a gallery, 6 bedrooms with cabinet and wardrobe and in the 2 attic wings, respectively 4 and 3 bedrooms, with the same fittings
On the 2nd floor, also attic, a large corridor serving 8 service rooms and an attic.
- A chapel and a gallery, in the east wing,
- Three common buildings surrounding and even inserting the small village church,
- At the bottom of the park, several buildings serving as orangeries and greenhouses.
On August 18, 1841, Madame Casimir PERIER founded a free school for girls, run by Sisters. She thus gave the Commune a newly built house in the old vegetable garden of the castle for the creation of a girls' school, on the condition that the teaching would be given by a nun.
The Condé-Sainte-Libiaire estate was then sold by candlelight to Mr. François CAVÉ, on June 22, 1852, for the sum of 100,100 Francs. François CAVÉ was a great mechanical industrialist with his workshops in Paris and Levallois-Perret.
From 1839-1840 the first French-made locomotives were delivered by the Schneider du Creusot and François Cavé workshops in Paris. François Cavé's workshop located at the top of the Faubourg Saint-Denis employed 600 workers and covered 2 hectares in 1840.
At the time, the Château de Condé-Sainte-Libiaire estate was a charming property covering 21 hectares and including:
- A main body with 2 side wings with:
- In the basement: vaulted cellars with kitchen, dairy, fruit store and charcoal store,
- On the ground floor: living room, dining room, billiard table, kitchen, pantry, office, workshop and 6 master bedrooms,
- On the 1st floor: a gallery, 6 bedrooms with cabinet and wardrobe and in the 2 attic wings, respectively 4 and 3 bedrooms, with the same fittings
On the 2nd floor, also attic, a large corridor serving 8 service rooms and an attic.
- A chapel and a gallery, in the east wing,
- Three common buildings surrounding and even inserting the small village church,
- At the bottom of the park, several buildings serving as orangeries and greenhouses.
François Cavé is registered from 1856, on the census of the commune, as a "permanent resident", with his wife, his son, his daughter as well as his wife's father, Mr. Joseph Combe. The estate's proximity to Paris and the immediate presence of the Montry-Condé station allow it to continue to have professional, associative or family activities in the capital.
Still retaining his passion for the mechanical arts, he created, in one of the buildings at the back of the park, a small forge and a workshop where he likes to meet, with his old companions in blacksmithing and mechanics.
The arrangement concluded at the time of Madame Casimir Perrier in order to cover the maintenance costs of the school, free up to an annual income of 800 francs, run by the Sisters of the Congregation of the Province of Evreux endured. Thus, in gratitude, the “Religious of Condé” will write a parchment, illuminated with charm and grace, which recounts in a moving way the biography and “benefits” of François Cavé. Tribute of the “Sisters of Condé” to F. Cavé.
Still retaining his passion for the mechanical arts, he created, in one of the buildings at the back of the park, a small forge and a workshop where he likes to meet, with his old companions in blacksmithing and mechanics.
The arrangement concluded at the time of Madame Casimir Perrier in order to cover the maintenance costs of the school, free up to an annual income of 800 francs, run by the Sisters of the Congregation of the Province of Evreux endured. Thus, in gratitude, the “Religious of Condé” will write a parchment, illuminated with charm and grace, which recounts in a moving way the biography and “benefits” of François Cavé. Tribute of the “Sisters of Condé” to F. Cavé.
On September 14, 1870, the German invaders appeared in CONDE. The Colonel of Engineers requisitioned, upon his arrival, for his personal use, the master's car of the castle and had the trees felled, in the park and on the territory of the Commune, intended for the reconstruction of the railway bridge over the Marne to ISLES LES VILLENOY. Thus, on February 25, 1871, 35 fir trees were removed from the castle park to decorate the Esbly station when the King of WURTEMBERG visited.
After the death of François Cavé on March 6, 1875, his wife Charlotte-Fanny continued to live there for almost twenty years, until her death in 1893. The property was quickly sold on June 1, 1893 to Nicolas-Frédéric-DESIRE BARBER for the sum of 205,320 francs.
For information, Nicolas Barbier (1834-1912) was the founder and one of the directors of the company “Barber Bernard et Turenne” (better known under the name BBT). This company specialized in the manufacture of headlights, optical devices and lighting systems. It will be the world leader in the field of lighthouses at the end of the 19th century and will build nearly 1,400 devices spread around the world.
From 1913, the castle was the property of the TURENNE family until 1961.
On this date, the castle was sold by auction to Marius GROSJEAN who undertook a major renovation campaign (1959 to 1981) of the entire structural work, the floors of the exterior joinery, the entire framework and the roofs.
He also created in the castle park, the most beautiful caravanning center in Europe, called THE SUPER-CARAVANING-CLUB of the CHÂTEAU DE CONDÉ park, thus opening the doors to nature and joy to hundreds of families.
In 1981, Marius GROJEAN received a purchase proposal from the EDF Social Action Committee (CAS), which he accepted.
Subsequently, the committee transformed the Château park into a leisure area for the families of the company's employees with a mini-golf course, picnic areas and a pétanque court.
On October 11, 2019, Arribas France acquired the Château de Condé-Sainte-Libiaire.
To this day, Arribas France works in its factory in the greatest secrecy to create glass collectibles to be discovered. Also, come and admire our new generation of Arribas glass blowers practicing this rare and demanding profession.