Princess Caroline holidaying at Château de Marchais: A family heirloom in the Aisne region
The Princess of Hanover left for the family castle on 15 August © Prince's Palace, Monaco
The Princely Family has been in the habit of going there since the end of the 19th century.
The Princess of Hanover chose the Château de Marchais for a holiday and to get away from it all, mid-August. Located in the peaceful municipality of Marchais, in the Aisne region of northern France, the 1,500-hectare estate, owned by the Grimaldis for 170 years, is a place of refuge and respite for the Princely Family.
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The Princess landed at Laon airfield on 15 August and headed for the castle in the village with 400 inhabitants, which is listed as a Grimaldi Historic Site.
A centuries-old legacy
Château de Marchais has a rich history, dating back to 1535. Built by Nicolas de Boussu, superintendent of the Royal Finances under François I, on the ruins of an older building, the historic site is rich in legend, and some say it was the home of ‘Berthe au Grand Pied’, Charlemagne’s mother.
It was not until 1854 that it became part of the Grimaldi family estate, thanks to Countess Antoinette de Mérode, wife of Prince Charles III of Monaco, who was looking for a property between Paris and her native Belgium. Since then, there have been many generations of visitors, from Prince Albert I’s discovery of nature to Prince Rainier III’s family holidays with his children.
Château de Marchais under the Grimaldis
Château de Marchais not only served as a second home for the Grimaldi family, but also played a key role in Prince Albert I’s early scientific explorations.
He inherited the estate on the death of his mother, and began his first experiments with nature on the magnificent 1,500-hectare estate. Marchais was also the venue for the Prince’s first wedding to Mary Victoria Hamilton in 1869.
The Princely family has also left its mark on Marchais village thanks to its social commitment. As soon as they arrived, the Grimaldis went about improving the inhabitants’ living conditions, with humanitarian initiatives led by Princess Antoinette de Mérode, and the construction of infrastructures such as a presbytery and a modern school by her husband, Prince Charles III.
Serenity and hunting
For Prince Albert II, the castle represents a haven of peace where he can reconnect with nature and hunt. In an interview with L’Union, the Sovereign confided that he often came to the château when he was young, but “not just to hunt. For walks too, on the long weekends in spring and summer. There was always a bit of curiosity about coming here.” “Today I really enjoy coming here to hunt, but also to recharge my batteries and get away from the hustle and bustle of the Principality,” the Prince added.
In fact, the entire Princely Family often came to do just that. Prince Rainier III often took his children Princess Caroline, Prince Albert II and Princess Stéphanie to the château.