Château de Bussy-Rabutin:the libertine count's home

The Château de Bussy-Rabutin is one of the most unusual places in Burgundy. Former home of Count Roger de Bussy-Rabutin, a soldier, writer, and French academician exiled by Louis XIV, it preserves a collection of nearly 500 portraits of the Court, accompanied by satirical maxims written in the owner’s own hand. Nicknamed the “Facebook of the 17th century,” this château, managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, offers a fascinating dive into the intrigues of the French Court and the destiny of a man who turned his exile into a total work of art.

Roger de Bussy-Rabutin: A Libertine at the Court of the Sun King

A soldier and a writer

Born in 1618 at the Château d’Épiry in Burgundy, Roger de Bussy-Rabutin was a complex figure: a distinguished officer who served in the Thirty Years’ War and against Spain, attaining the rank of lieutenant general. At the same time, his sharp pen and free spirit earned him as much success as enmity.

Elected to the Académie française in 1665 (seat 20), he was the cousin of the famous letter-writer Madame de Sévigné, with whom he maintained a regular correspondence. But his taste for satire and libertine ways drew the wrath of the authorities.

Disgrace and exile

In 1665, Bussy-Rabutin published Histoire amoureuse des Gaules (The Amorous History of France), a roman à clef that painted an acid portrait of the Court’s love affairs. The scandal was immense. Louis XIV had him imprisoned at the Bastille for 13 months, then exiled him to his Burgundian estate at the Château de Bussy-le-Grand. This exile lasted nearly 17 years, from 1666 to 1683.

Far from resigning himself, Bussy transformed his home into a visual manifesto of his longing for the Court. He undertook to decorate the walls of his chateau with an incredible gallery of courtier portraits, accompanied by comments written in his own hand - alternately witty, tender, or caustic.

The king finally pardoned him in 1683, but the icy welcome he received at Court convinced him to return to Burgundy, where he spent the rest of his life devoted to writing his Memoirs and his correspondence. He died in 1693 in Autun.

The portrait gallery: the Facebook of the 17th century

The Hall of Warriors

The château houses several themed rooms. The Hall of Warriors displays 65 portraits of marshals and great captains, accompanied by their military exploits. Bussy, himself a military man, pays homage to his peers while reminding visitors of his own valor.

The Gallery of Kings and Queens

This gallery traces French history through portraits of sovereigns, from Pharamond to Louis XIV. Each portrait is accompanied by a maxim or historical reflection. The tour ends with a portrait of Louis XIV, whom Bussy never stopped courting despite his disgrace - an implicit appeal for royal pardon.

The Golden Tower

The Golden Tower is the most private space in the château. Its gilded woodwork, mirrors, and mythological paintings evoke Bussy’s love affairs and the ladies of the Court. The motifs are light, gallant, sometimes provocative - a striking contrast with the rest of the estate.

Maxims and epitaphs

Each portrait is accompanied by a text written by Bussy himself. These maxims, lapidary and often ironic, constitute the true interest of the visit:

“Absence is to love what wind is to fire: it extinguishes the small and kindles the great.”

This saying, among Bussy-Rabutin’s most famous, sums up his art of the gallant maxim. Others are more acidic, settling scores with the courtiers who betrayed him.

A unique historical testimony

Beyond the anecdote, the Bussy-Rabutin gallery constitutes an exceptional historical document: no other place in France preserves such a collection of court portraits accompanied by contemporary commentary. This is what earns the château its nickname of the “Facebook of the 17th century.”

The park and French-style gardens

The chateau is surrounded by a 34-hectare park comprising:

• A classical parterre in the French style, with patterns of trimmed boxwood.
• A boxwood maze, recreated in the 19th century, inviting meditative walks.
• Ponds and water features that reflect the château facade.
• A century-old lime tree avenue leading to the belvedere.

The park can be visited freely (price: 4 EUR for the park only). The gardens are especially beautiful from May to September, when the flowerbeds are in bloom and the maze is at its greenest.

Practical information

Opening hours

• May 15 to September 14: 9:15 AM-1:00 PM and 2:00 PM-6:00 PM
• September 15 to May 14: 9:15 AM-12:00 PM and 2:00 PM-5:00 PM
• Last access to the estate 1 hour before closing.
• Closed on January 1, May 1, November 1, November 11, and December 25.

Admission

• Adult: 9 EUR
• Group (20+ people): 7.50 EUR
• Park only: 4 EUR
• Free: under 18, 18-25 EU residents

Getting there

The château is located in Bussy-le-Grand, 8 km from Venarey-les-Laumes and 65 km from Dijon. Near the Canal de Bourgogne and the Voie Verte greenway.

• By car: A6 exit 24 (Pouilly-en-Auxois), follow the D970.
• By train: TGV station Montbard, then taxi (20 min). TER station Les Laumes-Alesia.

Contact

Rue du Château, 21150 Bussy-le-Grand Tel.: 03 80 96 00 03 Chateau-de-bussy-rabutin@monuments-nationaux.fr