In the heart of Val-de-Marne lies a farm that once belonged to Louis XVI’s brother.

If you're after an unconventional outing in Île-de-France, far from the city’s bustle, the commune of Mandres-les-Roses hides a well-kept secret: the Ferme de Monsieur. This grand manor farm owes its intriguing name to the Count of Provence, the younger brother of Louis XVI and future king Louis XVIII. In the monarchic tradition of the Ancien Régime, the sovereign’s elder brother carried simply the honorific title “Monsieur.”

Under the Ancien Régime, the king’s younger brother officially bore the honorific title “Monsieur.” It is thus that the Count of Provence, prior to ascending the throne as Louis XVIII, lent his nickname to Mandres-les-Roses, a property acquired just before the 1789 Revolution. Often living in the neighboring Brunoy estate, the prince sought a secluded, quiety corner away from courtly duties.

Local lore has it that the farm hosted meetings with his longtime partner, the countess Anne de Balbi. While historians note the absence of formal correspondence confirming these trysts, the site's strategic position—sprawling outbuildings, protected orchards, and a pastoral hush about thirty kilometres from Paris—made it an apt setting.

The noble austerity of Briard agricultural heritage

Distant from Versailles’s gilded glamour, the estate faithfully reflects the Briard plateau’s farming function at the close of the 18th century. Buildings are arranged around a large enclosed quadrangle, a classic layout designed to guard livestock, store grain, and maneuver farm teams:

• Thick masonry laid in ashlar blocks and local limestone, reinforced by corner anchorages in dressed stone.

• Two-pitched roofs clad in local flat tiles, weathered to the ochre hues of the Paris basin.

• A monumental circular dovecote, a genuine noble prerogative of the Ancien Régime, signaling the owner’s status.

A civic-reoriented transformation along La Végétale

Bought and restored by the town, the farmstead has found a new civic mission. The former barns and stables now host artistic workshops, the municipal library, and the commune’s community gatherings.

The site sits at a logical junction for those following the La Végétale cycling and walking route, the green corridor linking Créteil with the eastern forests of Île-de-France. A practical note before you set out: on weekdays and outside event periods, interior buildings are closed to the public. Visitors are welcome to stroll the paved courtyard and exterior volumes free of charge during daytime. For a inside-the-barns visit, plan your stop during city-organized cultural events or during the European Heritage Days.