A preserved set

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The Château de La Rivière is an elegant early 17th century ensemble that has been little modified for four centuries. The construction of the buildings took place between 1617 and 1643. The architecture is simple and harmonious, using local materials from Grison, Roussard stone and bricks. The castle is built lengthwise, most of the rooms being crossed by light. The outbuildings are laid out in a U, closing off the courtyard in front of the chateau.

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The whole is surrounded by partly dry moats around the outbuildings and interior courtyards and partly in water at the foot of the parterre. This part overlooks a network of canals dug at the same time as the construction of the castle and fed by the Eure. This passes between the castle and the star-shaped park.

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On the other side of the Eure are the Vineyard, a plot used for wine production until the 18th century and the Parc de l'Etoile.

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A first wall enclosure surrounds an area of ​​43 ha. The entire layout of this 17th century park (Louis XIII), of alleys, canals, walls, still exists today. A second enclosure surrounds the enlarged park of 140 ha, including the mill of Boizard and the rest of the wooded park.

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The cradle of the d'Aligre family

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The Château de La Rivière was built by the Chancellors of Aligre. The first Chancellor (Etienne II) began construction and died there in December 1635, a few years after his disgrace by Richelieu. His son, Etienne III d'Aligre devoted himself to the service of Louis XIV, receiving at the end of his career the office of Chancellor of France, as his father had been for Louis XIII. He completed the construction of the castle and the realization of the park that we know today.

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The Château de La Rivière remained the property of the Aligre family until 1926 (apart from a brief period during the Revolution). It has had different owners since. There followed several divisions and a fragmentation of the initial domain.

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During the Second World War, it housed a school for young girls. Between 1954 and 2009, it was owned by a well-known family in film production and distribution. Many film personalities often came there, such as Michel Audiard, Jean Gabin and Lino Ventura.
 

Since 2009

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The family who owns the castle since 2009 has begun restoration work there, starting with the roofs, facades, moats and gardens.

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