The Château du Rondon in Olivet, with its multiple and successive histories, welcomed the ARPO association this Thursday, October 10 for a private visit. An opportunity to enter the intimacy of a historic residence whose destiny has followed current events from the 18th century to the present day.
The Château du Rondon, rue Général de Gaulle in Olivet (45) facing north. Photo AC Chapuis
By Anne-Cécile Chapuis.
It is majestic, peaceful and balanced and walkers are familiar with the north facade which faces them when they take the pedestrian paths on the banks of the Loiret. Passing in front of the castle along the balustrade that borders it, enjoying a view of the garden, admiring the building in the background and imagining its interior life, is a bit like entering the setting of “My mother’s castle » film by Yves Robert adapted from the novel by Marcel Pagnol.
Part of the park overlooking the Loiret. Photo ACC
The story begins in the 16th century and has gray areas. We know that Catherine de Médicis settled there, that it belonged to Mr. Boilève in 1650 and that two wings were added in 1856 by Bonnichon. Louis-Auguste Pilté-Grenet, owner in 1804, installed 12 busts on the facades from his Château de Richelieu as well as the two gates and balustrade which can still be admired today. The busts were unsealed and placed in the Château de Chamerolles. During the First World War, the English resided in the orangery and in 1940, it was the Germans who occupied it.
A presence in contemporary history
Its fame may be due to its use in the early 20th century as a rest home for artists. Thus Jean Nohain, Mary Marquet, Raymond Souplex and Pierre Richard frequented the place, rubbing shoulders with the Olivetan population who still remember it. A period of severe frost in 1990 caused serious damage, and the castle was then bought by the Department of Loiret. It was the time of the fratricidal war in Rwanda. Children were then welcomed there, supervised by CHRO staff, with the aim of returning to their country of origin as soon as possible.
The table is set for today’s guests. Photo ACC
Today, the owner Olivier Prades has carried out major restoration work and has opened four luxury guest rooms, with a view of the park and very tasteful decoration.
The dynamics of ARPO
Some members of ARPO during the visit to Rondon, including Jacky Plotu president (4th from left) Photo ACC
The association chaired by Jacky Plotu organizes such visits from time to time, such as that to the La Mothe mill, the Saint Pryvé mills, the Questonnière… The members each have their specialty and communicate their research in the form of conferences or publications. A newsletter is regularly published and distributed to members or put on sale during events. The subjects are very diverse and range from daily chronicles to in-depth articles, always very documented, including genealogy or paleography. Members meet every week to carry out this work, build files or respond to requests from Olivet town hall as well as from individuals researching their history. A future work should evoke the boat stations, small buildings so typical of the banks of the Loiret.
The ARPO brings Olivet’s past to life, lifts the veil on a common heritage and gives meaning to the traces left by history, whether great or more modest, such as that of Olivet’s traders. A great mission to pursue!
To go further in Magcentre:
Rwanda: what happened to the orphans of Rondon (Loiret) and their driver suspected of the worst?
