Château de Saint Germain en Laye


1661 Louis XIV moves his court to Saint Germain en Laye
They live in the old Château de Saint Germain en Laye.

1669 to 1673 André Lenotre rearranges the garden and adds
a magic 2,4 km long terrace with a sceenic view over the Seine valley and from the distance Paris.


The kids from the "Cremerie de Paris/Hotel de Villeroy court yard" stay together ....


- Louis XIV (the oldest of the children, born in 1638)
portrait made in 1661 by Charles Le Brun


- François de Villeroy (the youngest of the children born in 1644)


- Catherine (de Neufville) de Villeroy (born in 1639 - sister of François and daughter of the educator Nicolas V)
In the meantime she got married to Louis de Lorraine, count d'Armagnac.

And the little group is joint by a very turbulent Princess ...


Charlotte Catherine de Gramont, Princesse de Monaco (1639 - 1678).
The Princess, wife of the Prince of Monaco and first Lady of the Principality
had the "excellent idea" to become the mistress of the "father / educator" of the children
Nicolas V de Villeroy.

Not sure that Catherine de Villeroy was enchanted
to see her father go out with a young girl of the same age as his daughter.
But anyways the two Ladies look a bit like sisters and they were both painted by Charles Beaubrun.
The editor of this website found the portrtait by coincidence
studying the history of the Hotel de Paris.


And then the Princesse has the excellent idea to leave Nicolas V de Villeroy
to become the mistress of the one that had benefited from his education
not Francois de Villeroy
even more chic ... Louis XIV

... while her husband,
Prince Louis I de Monaco was a little desperate.

Her great beauty attracted many admirers.
And the Royal court called her « le Torrent ».
In 1668 she getts banned from the cour for creating too much confusion
with her multiple love affairs.

To better situate the Princess in history
she was the great, great ... great grandmother of someone you might know
Prince Rainier III de Monaco,
the husband of the beautiful Grace Kelly,
father of Princesses Caroline, Prince Albert and princess Stephanie de Monaco.
Maybe his granddaughter Charlotte Cashiragi inherited from her the first name Charlotte ?

Hotel de Villeroy in Saint Germain en Laye

Nicolas V de Villeroy also moved to St Germain en Laye and built another Hôtel de Villeroy
located on 18 rue de la Salle.
It is possible that François de Villeroy did not live in the old castle
but in the Hôtel de Villeroy de Saint Germain,
also the home of the turbulent Princesse of Monaco.
But this is not too important
as the old Chateau de Saint Germain and the Hôtel de Villeroy
are really very close to each other.
... On the last photo you can seen the old Chateau de Saint Germain
through the gates of the Hôtel de Villeroy.
Indeed the Villeroy and the Bourbons like to stick to each other.

Does anybody know the exact date of construction of the House ?
While we discovered the place
we met a woman in a black mink fure coat.
She lives in the house, nowadays diveded into several appartments.
She did not really want to answer any questions,
maybe she thought she was too chic to talk,
but does she know the history of the house where she lives - not so sure ?
Walking away we heared her ask her husband, do you know who are the Villeroy ?

1685 November 16 Nicolas V de Villeroy dies.
He probably never lived in the Chateau de Versailles.


1682 Louis XIV leaves Saint Germain en Laye,
he is followed by his court and his friend François de Villeroy,
Catherine de Villeroy / Comtesse d'Armagnac are there as well
but the turbulent Princess Charlotte is missing.

next .... Louis XIV at Versailles (6/7)