Château de la Rivière, Historic castle in Thomery, France

Château de la Rivière is a stone castle located at the northwestern edge of Thomery along the Seine River, surrounded by an extensive park containing meadows and forested areas. The estate features remains of pavilions and historic pathways that lead to the main entrance gate.

The castle was built in the early 17th century by Roch Le Baillif, physician to King Henri IV, and later passed to the Count of Toulouse, a son of Louis XIV. During World War II, the site served as a German munitions depot before suffering major damage in 1944.

The Route du Prince, a paved lane, was laid in 1726 to link the château with the royal palace of Fontainebleau. Its name recalls the prince's passage, and the lane remains the clearest trace of the estate's ties to the court. The 66-hectare park was listed in 1947 for its picturesque character.

The 66-hectare park is unevenly kept: mowing and tree felling have left parts overgrown. A carriageable but unmaintained track runs from the departmental road 138 wall to a gate, flanked by two ruined pavilions. The meadow stretches along the Seine from the château to a corner pavilion near the remnant of a basin.

The castle was directly connected to the royal palace at Fontainebleau through a specially built path, allowing members of the French royal family to travel between the two residences. This Route du Prince was a marker of the owners' high social standing at the time.