Come stroll with me …

… through the gardens and château of Joinville in the département of Haute-Marne …

The town of Joinville is situated on the river Marne in northeastern France.  With a population of around 3,000, it is a small and relatively quiet town that sits in some of the most verdant and rolling countryside in this area of France.  Despite its unassuming nature, the town has a fascinating history, and some of that is why I’m here.  Come with me as I explore the local château which is sited just a little up, and across the road, from the local supermarket.  Very convenient, I say, as it means I can get a slice of history and some shopping as well!

The building that can be seen from the street was built by Claude de Lorraine, duc de Guise, between 1533 and 1546.  Claude (1496 – 1550) was a French aristocrat, military tactician and general.  He was born in Condé-sur-Moselle, the second son – therefore, the spare! – of René 2 of Lorraine.  Despite his place in the family, he clearly had his sights set on high achievement.  He was educated at the court of Francis 1, and at the age of 16, he married Antoinette de Bourbon.  He and his wife are recorded as having 12 children, the eldest of whom, Mary of Guise, married James 5 of Scotland, and their surviving daughter was Mary Queen of Scots.  So, Claude not only distinguished himself on the battlefield, but he could seriously name-drop, too!

What has all this got to do with the sleepy little town of Joinville?  Claude was made duc de Guise by Francis 1 in 1528 and was ceded the estate at Joinville, which included a medieval fort.  The original grounds were extended, and Claude and his family moved in.  But not to the building you can visit today.

I’m standing here on the forecourt of the château d’en bas – the lower house - as it was originally called.  The old medieval fort had been in place and overlooking the town for quite some time before the arrival of the Guise family.  The building in front of me was built as a maison de plaisance.  It was designed in the style of a grand pavillion, and its intended use was for entertainment, fêtes and to enjoy the gardens of the recently extended estate.

Surrounded by a moat – a typical feature at the time - the interior is dominated by a grand reception chamber where guests would be entertained and lavish banquets would be held.  Off to the sides are some smaller ante-chambers for the Duc and Duchesse to retire to with their favoured guests along with a garde-robe.  There are no bedrooms as the main house was so near.

Although the structure appears to be on one floor only, there are rooms for the kitchens and cellars beneath.  At each side of the building is a spiral staircase up to the roof space.  There is also a tiny chapel in the southern corner that was added in 1546.

Come outside into the sunshine, and there are some fabulous walks through the gardens.  The layout today is not the original.  This estate had one of the most highly valued gardens and parterre in the whole of 16th-century France.  Regrettably, the site was privately purchased in the 19th century, and the original gardens were replaced with a parc a l’anglaise which was later left untended.  The département acquired the site in the 1980s, and the building was restored, and gardens replanted using the plans from the 19th century. The whole site is now used for concerts and exhibitions but is still available for tourists to visit.

I guess you could say that the château and gardens have kind of come full circle.  Not a bad ending for what is, essentially, a posh 16th-century garden shed!  And if you’re wondering about the old medieval fort… sorry to disappoint, but the revolutionaries took exception to it and destroyed it in 1789.

If you enjoyed this post you might also like to read about my visits to the châteaux in Chenonceau Blois  Ancy-le-Franc or Tanlay