Domaine de Grosbois: guided tours of the château and trotting horse training center (94)

The Domaine de Grosbois, located in Boissy-Saint-Léger in the Val-de-Marne region of France, is best known today for its connection with the equestrian world, with nearly 400 hectares used to train French trotting horses. But its château, a beautiful country residence, was home to many historical figures before becoming an equestrian landmark! Today, this historic monument houses a unique trotting museum, which, like the rest of the estate, can be visited on guided tours throughout the year.

The lands of Grosbois-le-Roi were first mentioned in 1190, when Philippe Auguste exchanged them with the abbey of Saint-Victor in Paris for others in the Bois de Vincennes. In 1563, they were purchased by Raoul Moreau, Treasurer of the Savings Bank, as a dowry for his daughter when she married Nicolas de Harlay de Sancy.

This superintendent of the king's buildings wanted a grandiose hunting estate, but only the central building at the back of the courtyard and its two corner towers were built when the château was bought by the Duc d'Angoulême in 1616. Charles de Valois enlarged it, adding the two wings and two side pavilions we know today. Wealthy heirs and ministers then bought the estate, before the king's brother, the future Louis XVIII, lived there until his departure during the French Revolution.

Political setbacks led to a succession of changes in ownership, before Marshal Berthier reclaimed the estate in 1805, restoring, refurbishing and transforming it into one of the finest residences of the Empire. Appointed Grand Veneur by the Emperor, he gave grandiose parties and organized hunts that rivaled those of Fontainebleau. During their exile, Empress Marie-Louise of Austria and the Little King of Rome stayed here.

The estate remained in the family for almost a century, before becoming the property of the La Tour d'Auvergne-Lauraguais family in 1914. During the Second World War, the château became the headquarters of the Luftwaffe, before appearing in feature films such as Roger Richebé 's Madame Sans-Gêne , Nez de cuir with Jean Marais in 1951, Le Miracle des loups in 1961, Le Comte de Monte Cristo with Gérard Depardieu in 1990 and Guillaume et les garçons à table, in 2013.

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A particularly varied history, before passing in 1962 to the Société d'encouragement à l'élevage du cheval français to set up the famous racehorse training center. In addition to its historical significance and the priceless collections and decor preserved there, the Grosbois estate is now renowned for its equestrian activity, less than 15 km from theParis-Vincennes racecourse.

The Grosbois training center, which can accommodate and prepare up to 1,500 horses and their trainers, guarantees a pool of starters for Vincennes' trotting races, such as the Prix d'Amérique. Its infrastructure consists of 40 kilometers of tracks and lanes dedicated to horses and state-of-the-art services, in the heart of the wooded estate. Take a look behind the scenes at the Winter Meeting!

Since 2010, the château has been home to Europe's largest museum dedicated to thehistory of trotting, retracing 3,000 years of harness racing from the Olympics to the present day, as well as presenting the sport's breeders, horses and famous men, and the trotting professions. There's also a documentation center and a temporary exhibition room.

Please note that the estate is only accessible on guided tours, which must be booked in advance. Allow 15 euros for access to the training center every Saturday at 11am, and 18.50 euros for a guided tour of the château and museum, every Saturday at 2pm. Concerts, costumed tours and shows keep the château alive all year round. To get to the estate, take the RER A and get off at Boissy-Saint-Léger station, before taking a bus.

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the Grosbois equestrian training center near Vincennes.
Take a behind-the-scenes look at the Grosbois training center, the trotters' last stop before racing at the Vincennes racecourse, where equestrian activities and historical heritage meet in the heart of the Val-de-Marne region. [Read more]