Château Secession, France

Château Secession is a large abandoned mansion in France. There are records of the chateau dating back to the 12th Century. The chateau we visited was built on this site later, during the 18th century. Another name for this location is Château de Le Quesnel.

History of Château de Le Quesnel

The chateau has been always been a home to Lords and Nobles. Over the centuries, ownership would pass hands between various wealthy families. Château Secession was looted and damaged in the 1630s, by Imperialists.

The foundations of the present chateau were laid down in the 1750s. The glorious building is built from white stone and surrounded by large grounds. A tall and imposing wall surrounds the grounds. Extensive renovations and alterations were undertaken in the 1850s. At this time new windows were installed. Additional, large skylights were also added to the newly extended upper floors. Finally, the decorative coat of arms was also set into the outside walls.

During the First World War, German troops occupied and looted the chateau. Château Secession became abandoned after the Second World War. Subsequently, it was sold in the 1980s to a lawyer in Paris. This lawyer still owns the chateau but does not live there or maintain it.

Château de Le Quesnel destroyed by fire (December 2018)

The castle burned down in December 2018. The local media featured photos of this once-grand castle, engulfed in flames. The blaze destroyed everything, leaving the façade.

The “treasures” of Château Secession

We visited on a warm summers afternoon, to find half of the chateau has crumbled and collapsed. Light fingered individuals, or groups, had obviously beaten us here. Many items were missing, stolen. Most notably almost all the flags on the wall in the canon room were missing. Château Secession was a lot more empty than we had hoped. Regrettably, we were a few months too late to beat the modern-day looters.

The lighting was fantastic on the afternoon of our visit, so not all was a disappointment. Many of the paintings were still present, although most were no longer attached to the walls. A beautiful billiard table sits underneath a dramatic tented ceiling. And old-style map of the local area hangs from the wall nearby. Curiously, a large canon leans in the corner of one room. Upon inspection it is fake. Simply a tube attached to cart-like wheels. Other features, such as the globe and samurai sword, are also cheap modern reproductions.

Château Secession was our first location visited that day; the highlight of a busy day. Later in the afternoon we visited a beautiful futuristic-style church, call ET Church.