A CASTLE WITH A THOUSAND AND ONE LIVES

Small and Great History of Étoges

Like many, Château d’Étoges originates from a medieval fortress, but it was the 17th century that gave it its roundness, distinction, and brilliance, making it the charming residence we know today. A fiefdom of the d'Anglure family, a stopover for François I, and a resort for Louis XIII and XIV, there is no doubt that hospitality is at the heart of Étoges tradition.

Upon passing through the historically listed gateway, the imposing silhouette of Château d’Étoges seems to warn that it has not always been the haven of romance, elegance, and delicacy it is today. Built on a Champenois hillside from which multiple springs burst, it was initially for strategic reasons. A forward observation post between the eastern borders and the capital, the springs first served to feed a potable water network as well as the castle's moats. In 1339, the d'Anglure family took possession of the place and would remain for four centuries, witnessing François 1er's opposition to Charles V in 1534.

300 years later, the demands of courtly residences changed. The fortress was then dismantled to host royalty in conditions befitting its rank. Louis XIII first, and then his successor, the Sun King, Louis XIV, stayed there. The latter, having begun the construction of Versailles, did not fail to note the technicality, hygiene, and beauty conferred by the play of basins and the château's spring water fountains.

Darker hours followed. Louis XVI bypassed Étoges in his flight to Varennes, not stopping at the castle for fear of being recognized. Then, from the Revolution through Empires, the residence was sold multiple times, sometimes atrophied from one of its buildings becoming too costly to maintain.

In 1922, the building was reduced to the dimensions of a bourgeois house and became the residence of Robert Neuville, a member of the academies of Châlons and Reims and an agricultural promoter. He set out to restore its former splendor by starting significant reconstruction. From 1991, Anne Filliette, the couple's granddaughter, decided to open this jewel of history to the public while continuing her grandparents' mission. Étoges became a hotel. A few years later, L’Orangerie was reborn following the layout of old buildings.

Today, Étoges shines anew and welcomes you to a castle in constant evolution, because if there are buildings frozen in time, Étoges is surely not one of them.