Parterre and Gardens at the Française of Château de Champs-sur-Marne, France (photo)

Construction of the chateau for the French financier, Charles Renouard de La Touanne (d. 1701) begun in 1699 by the architect Pierre Bullet, Architecte du Roi, and completed in 1706 by his son, Jean-Baptiste Bullet de Chamblain; the formal French parterre with two basins and central axis leading to the river Marne was laid out c. 1710 by Claude Desgotz, nephew and pupil of André Le Nôtre; an outer park was also created in the English style; the chateau was leased between 1757 and 1759 by Madame de Pompadour, who spent much money on renovation but she left it in 1759 as the chateau was not liked by Louis XV; a later owner, Louis Cahen d'Anvers, entertained Marcel Proust there; given by d'Anvers' son to the state in 1935, it was modernised in 1959 to receive visiting heads of state of the French Republic. In 1974 it was opened to the public and ceased its official capacity. It has served as a location for many films since then,