Discover our history
A Montpellier “Folie”
The first Montpellier “Folies” appeared towards the end of the 1690s, during the final years of the reign of Louis XIV.
These were pleasure houses built under the Ancien Régime by members of the noblesse de robe or the city’s wealthy bourgeoisie. They are distinguished by a distinctive architectural vocabulary and a layout of their own.
Montpellier’s “Folies” reached their golden age in the 18th century, driven by local architects, notably the Giral dynasty.
A Former Hunting Estate
On the site of the present-day château stood, in the 15th century, the former Mas de la Peyssine, whose name—slightly modernised—has been passed on to the current estate. The property, which once covered 44 hectares, served as a hunting estate belonging to Charles de Boulhacot, a councillor at the Court of Accounts.
Château de la Piscine, a Royal Residence
Through the marriage of his daughter Anne to Georges de Belleval, the estate passed into the hands of the Belleval family. Among its most illustrious members was none other than the founder of the renowned Jardin des Plantes, appointed by King Henry IV.
In the second half of the 18th century, Joseph Philibert de Belleval, President of the Court of Accounts, Aids and Finance of Montpellier, entrusted Jean Antoine Giral with the construction of the present château, which was completed in 1771.
The Belleval family remained owners of the Château de la Peyssine until 1817.
In 1817, Marthe de Barchy du Cayla acquired the property and, twenty years later, passed it on to her niece, the Princess of Craon. She subsequently sold it to Monsieur Martin, a merchant who dismantled the estate.
The property was later purchased by the Saporta family, before being acquired in 1894 by the art collector Alfred Henry Chaber.
Distinguished Women at Château de la Piscine
Among the notable women who stayed at Château de la Piscine are Countess Zoé du Cayla, the last favourite of Louis XVIII; the Princess of Craon; Elisa Bonaparte; and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, during a private visit to France.
A Family Legacy Spanning Over 130 Years
Owned by the same family since 1894, Château de la Piscine has been passed down through the descendants of the Chaber family. André, the son of Alfred Chaber, devoted great care to restoring the formal French gardens in the first half of the 20th century, under the guidance of the renowned landscape designer Henri Martinet.
Today, the park extends over 8 hectares in the heart of the city. The property remains in the hands of the Chaber descendants, Raimond de Falguerolles and his daughters.
A Place of Culture and Entertainment
Committed to reviving the cultural vibrancy and artistic energy that once animated the estate in the 1920s.
