Château d'Orquevaux

Chateau de Orquevaux is a French château and a historical landmark. It is a private home and an international Artists & Writers residency. It is located in Orquevaux—a commune in the Haute-Marne department, Champagne-Ardenne in north-eastern France.

History


In the 1760s Abel Caroillon de Vandeul acquired the Chateau and surrounding grounds, as well as a farm, furnace, and metal forge. His son Denis was a master blacksmith and French politician. After Abel Caroillon de Vandeul's acquisition of these properties, his son Denis managed the forge in Orquevaux.

On September 9, 1772 the daughter of Denis Diderot (1713–1784) Marie-Angelique Diderot(1753–1824) married Abel Nicolas Francois Caroillon du Vandeul (1746–1813). Abel and Marie had 2 children: Anne Marie, who died at infancy, and Denis Simon (1775–1850), who was named after his grandfather. The Caroillon du Vandeul family operated the metal forge and stove for around 100 years. It closed in the mid-nineteenth century.

The original Chateau d'Orquevaux was built in the early 1700s in the style of Louis XV. For his uncle Charles Denis (Albert) du Vandeul, Le Baron Jacques Le Vavasseur worked with the architect to design and build the present chateau as a hunting lodge including the Parc grounds, and outbuildings in the style of Napoleon III.

Present time
Château Orquevaux is a private residence now owned by the Attias family.