the residence until it was purchased by its current owner, SCI Le Verduron. Architecture Details of the architectural history of the Château du Verduron are also somewhat unclear. The original core of the building dates from 1665, and is attributed to a certain Guillaume, a well-off Parisian. This original structure was initially modified when occupied by the Fressons. According to C. Piton, a specialist in the history of Marly-le-Roi, the structure was unchanged between the time of its construction until the reign of Louis XIV, except for a few interior modifications during that king's era. However, most writers speak of a simple original core structure that was enlarged by subsequent owners. In 1720, the residence was described as a “country home.” It consisted of a ground floor, a main floor, and an attic. The building was apparently enlarged during Blouin's tenancy, no doubt in accordance with the provisions of his life-time lease. Blouin was evidently authorized to transform the house “into a real little country chateau.” Again, there are conflicting architectural attributions. Some writers claim that Louis XIV commissioned Mansart himself to carry out the enhancements. Others believe that the alterations were based on plans by Lemoine. All agree that the dwelling boasted a “second pavilion in front.” Further enlargement of the Château du Verduron is thought to have occurred under the ownership of the Comtesse de Vassé. She apparently added a new residential structure adjacent to the main building. Madame de Villemorien subsequently altered the domain by connecting the Château du Verduron and another of her properties with a covered bridge above the road through the forest. She also restored the outbuildings. Finally, she linked the entry pavilion to the main part of the house, creating a space to serve as a library for her apparently extensive collection of books. But her single greatest transformation was the park, which had been a classically designed formal jardin à la française. In contrast, she designed a more naturalistic jardin à l’anglaise. Left abandoned and on the brink of collapse by Marie-Joseph Bourgouin, the property was restored by Pierre-Antoine Ravel, who converted it into “a comfortable bourgeois residence.” He apparently added “picturesque” features to the park, including a thatched cottage and a grotto. The property suffered additional indignities after the Restoration, when it was wrested from its owner by liberal party sympathizers. Anne-Elie-Marie de Montmorency was able to recover land by buying