Located in the town of Massy, in Essonne, the castle of Vilgénis takes place only about fifteen kilometers from the capital. Erected on the right bank of the Bièvre, near the forest of Verrières, the building today benefits from an inscription in the Historic Monuments.
Originally a fortified farmhouse from the 12th century, the current castle was built in the first half of the 19th century in the form of a bourgeois house decorated by Ingres. Owned by Prince Jérôme Bonaparte in the middle of the 19th century, the castle of Vilgénis was then enlarged in the Empire style.
Built in bricks and millstone, in an architecture typical of the region, the building is covered with a plaster imitating freestone. It takes the form of a U-shaped plan of three levels with a Mansard-style roof. The castle is surrounded by a park of sixty-five hectares planted with groves. The latter now accommodates five chalets serving as training rooms, a gymnasium, dining rooms or even an amphitheater.
Divided into several parts, the castle of Vilgénis hosts a training center belonging to the Safran company, as well as a natural space developed by the town of Massy.
