History of château de Haroué

Discover the fascinating history of château de Haroué, a masterpiece of 18th-century architecture and one of Lorraine's finest jewels.

A princely castle in the countryside

A masterpiece of the Age of Enlightenment, the château de Haroué, nicknamed "Lorraine's little Chambord" , is located in a small valley in the center of the French village of Haroué, in the Saintois region, south of Nancy.

Today's château is the third stage in the development of a building that dates back to the Middle Ages. The site's strategic importance justified the early construction of a fortress, which was destroyed in the ^15th century by Antoine de Vaudémont.

In the 16th century, the Bassompierre family rebuilt the estate, transforming the former stronghold into a Renaissance palace. Designed by architect Nicolas La Hiere, it incorporated the four towers and moat of the medieval château.

But by the early 18th century, the château was once again in ruins.

Marc de Beauvau-Craon, Grand Constable of Lorraine and a close friend of Duke Leopold, fell in love with the site. He commissioned thearchitect Germain Boffrand to build his family residence here. For the decor, Boffrand called on the best artists of his time.

The château has belonged to the same princely family, the Beauvau-Craons, for eight generations since its construction. It bears witness to the taste and art of living of a noble Lorraine family, and exudes a warm atmosphere.

Façade nord u château, cour d'honneur et allée d'accès
© Colombe Clier / Centre des monuments nationaux

The 18th century, Lorraine's golden age

In the 18th century, Lorraine finally shines with all its splendor, even if it's a bit of a swan song as the end of independence approaches!

The last Dukes of Lorraine were all the rage: first Leopold, then his son François III, who was only briefly at the head of the duchy - and for good reason! His destiny lay elsewhere: by marrying Maria Theresa of Austria, he was destined to become German Emperor.

He relinquished his succession rights to Lorraine to the King of France in exchange for Tuscany. Louis XV hadn't expected so much... since the kings of France had been dreaming of getting their hands on Lorraine! Well, it's done.

Louis XV placed his troublesome father-in-law, the deposed King of Poland, Stanislas Leszczynski,at the head of the duchy. He was to be the last Duke of Lorraine, from 1736 to 1766.

Although Stanislas Leszczynski did not reign directly, as the administration was entrusted to a chancellor close to the king, he did make a major contribution to the cultural and intellectual influence of the duchy.

Did you know that Stanislas was responsible for the creation of Nancy's famous Place de Nancy, a heritage jewel linking the Old and New Towns? Today, the square bears his name and a monumental statue of him stands at its center.