Folie Desmares, Historic pleasure house in Châtillon, France

Folie Desmares stands at 17 rue de la Gare in Châtillon. Its cream facade rises three storeys behind a semicircular stone basin: a central block with a slate mansard roof, five dormer windows and a triangular pediment holding a small clock, a ground-floor arched doorway with a fanlight, a wrought-iron balcony above the entrance and a round window above that, with symmetrical wings under lower roofs to either side.

The house was built in the early 18th century for Swiss banker Antoine Hogguer and his companion Charlotte Desmares, an actress at the Comédie-Française. From 1880 it was used by the Dominican Sisters of Notre-Dame de Grâce, and the local government took it over in 1984.

The name 'folie' points to an old French idea of a small countryside retreat made for enjoyment rather than daily work. Today, visitors passing by can see how this type of wealthy private house once introduced theatrical and artistic motifs into a quiet suburban street.

The house sits next to Parc des Sarments, so you can combine a look at the exterior with a short walk through the greenery. Flat paths around the building make it easy to approach from the street and view the main elevation.

The house was built for Charlotte Desmares, an actress of the Comédie-Française, by the Swiss banker Antoine Hogguer. The Dominican Sisters of Notre-Dame de Grâce moved in in 1880, and the town bought the building in 1984. It has been inscribed as a monument historique since 5 June 1987.