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Coordinates, contacts and opening hours of the place

Days and opening hours

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13 rue du château

91490 Courances

01 64 98 07 36

info@courances.net

courances.net

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The Domaine de Courances is open every weekend and public holidays from 14:00 to 18:00 from 3 April to 1 November 2021. The castle is closed for visits in July and August, while the park, labelled "Remarkable Garden" remains open. Come and enjoy this unique place in spring, summer, and fall.

The "Jardins de Courances" produce fruit and vegetables, which are freshly picked and offered for sale from spring, and supply stores (Terroirs d'avenir) and Parisian restaurateurs (Alléno).

Courances: moving towards agro-culture

The garden is where everything starts in terms of cooking. It is here that Courances intends to continue the effort that started a few years ago: at the heart of this approach is the search for a new "agro-cultural" model that is healthy, sensitive, and sensible.

In the coming months, with the help of the cooks through banquets, the Jardins de Courances had the ambition of nourishing a reflection on the food and agricultural practices of today.

A simple picnic, hunting meal, will be the opportunity to share this thirst for understanding with you and the cooks, as well as this desire to see a hedonistic and virtuous circle emerge.

A Louis XIII castle that is still inhabited

After being abandoned during the 19th century, it was completely restored in 1872 by Baron Samuel de Haber, a wealthy Swiss banker in search of a large house. Baron Samuel de Haber took the opportunity to add important elements, including the famous horseshoe staircase, copied on the castle of Fontainebleau, and red bricks on its facades, which were typical of the Louis XIII era but non-existent until at the end of the 19th century. It is said that the castle of Courances is twice that of Louis XIII! Today, the castle is still private, and it houses four generations of Ganay.

The Gardens of Courances

Very long presented as a work of Le Nôtre, the Courances Park is over a century old. The park is first and foremost a Renaissance style water garden that succeeded the medieval walled garden, and pre-dates the classical park.

Thanks to the work of Antoine Berthelin, one of the initiators of the success of the Rosendal gardens in Stockholm, Sweden, a multitude of fruits, vegetables and flowers are now flourishing in Courances. Visitors can also enjoy them!

Agroecology and organic farming

The owners are 10 cousins who chose to try a new type of agriculture, from conventional agriculture and agroecology to organic farming. Gradually, they were no longer plowing, leaving no bare soil, planting under the name of conservation agriculture in order to restore the life of the soil. In winter 2014-2015, the largest agroforestry project (70 hectares) in Ile-de-France was be set up for the same purpose: to restore life in the soil.

Le château de Courances vue du ciel
The castle
L'Allée Catherine du château de Courances
L'Allée Catherine
La salle à manger du château de Courances
The dinning room 

Interview de l'éco-acteur

Patrick Deedes-Vincke, éco-acteur
Patrick Deedes-Vincke

British, a polo fan, and lover of old stones and plants, he has served as the general manager of Château de Courances since 2010. Patrick coordinates both of the events at the Château and works hard to revive the site. Explanation...

His professional career started in fashion, then in 2005 he arrived at the Moulin de la Tuilerie à Gif sur Yvette with friends and family. The idea is to renovate the premises to open it to the public, often international, to create lodgings through a unique approach. Its point of reference is the Landmark Trust: a foundation dedicated to the protection of cultural heritage, involved in the restoration of historic monuments, of which a part is set aside for holiday rentals. It is a success.

In 2010, several meetings took place with Valentine de Ganay, one of the heirs of the estate. With his experience at Gif on Yvette, he saw Courances as a sleeping princess, and offered his contribution to the Ganay family for its awakening.

Stones of History

In 2013, the Château de Courances launched a major renovation and development program for its building. Under the patronage of Stones of History, a solidarity-based company specialising in the preservation of historical assets and offering a unique experience through the rental of unique properties, the "Hameau du Japonais" is a flagship project.

Polo training and competition

Courances also returns to its sporting past, the world of Polo. Courances now offers a polo school with an experienced and renowned coach, as well as horses adapted to all levels, for leisure and competition. Classes and practices are held every Sunday afternoon from 13:00. The Courances Polo Association was created in April 2015.

An organic vegetable garden

The vegetable garden of the Château, which has been cultivated since 2013, has been officially organic since 1 January 2015. Located on the edge of the park, it spans 2.8 hectares. Created by Valentine de Ganay, the "Jardins de Courances" produce fruits and vegetables, freshly picked and offered for sale on Fridays from 17:00 to 20:00 and Saturdays from 10:00 to 14:00 at the shop of the Castle, and supply stores (Terroirs d'avenir) and Parisian restaurateurs (Alléno).