When you will take the main entrance of the Pavillon Henri II, your first vision will be that of a beautiful mirror of the eighteenth century, with delicate roses painted on a gold leaf background, topped with a painting on canvas.

Perched at nearly 6 meters, in the heart of the coffered ceiling, the emblems and mottos in Latin and Greek of King Henry II and Queen Catherine de Medicis:

Donec Totum Impleat Orbem (of which you can read the old French translation above the door)

Phoôs Pheroi Ede Galenen (The Rainbow brings a clear weather)

Carved wood panel probably of the seventeenth century. This beautiful piece comes likely from Castle Francis Ist at the time of its dismantling of 1795.

Modelled on the entablature, the part above the fireplace is decorated with friezes of ovals and hearts, friezes of beads, triglyphs, drops, denticles, fluted columns, metopes with peak diamonds marble highlights, Doric and Ionic capitals, marble pilasters etc.

One of the two consoles sixteenth-century adorning the lounge pavilion representing the evangelists. Here, St Luke with the bull.
Another console remains from the same period with the lion of St. Mark.

Above: Map of Castle designed by Jacques Androuet du Cerceau beginning 1560 bearing the Pavillon Henri II.

Top right: portrait of the Duke of Orleans (1725-1785) who expanded and redecorated the Pavillon Henri II from 1756.

Top left: plan sets in 1794 to the inventory of national property. This document outlines the extensions carried out some years ago by the Duke of Orleans.

Bottom: Photo of Pavillon Henri II, right where you can see the main expansion of the Duke of Orleans. The main building has disappeared between the two world wars.

Alexandre Dumas in chapter 21 of his "Memoirs" wrote some beautiful pages on le Pavillon Henri II, then owned by Mr. Deviolaine who was his godfather. Two quotes:

-"Now, in the midst of this darkness in which, similar to dreams half erased, float the early years of my life, stands out, with great precision, the memory of the three main houses in which passed my childhood."

-"The house of Mr Deviolaine was by me a much appreciated palace..."

Left: Deed of Sale dated 30 August 1843. Mrs. Lebaigue, daughter of Mr. Deviolaine (conservative father of the Kingdom Forests) sells by this act the Pavillon Henri II and its dependencies to His Majesty Louis Philippe King of the French.

Right: Portrait of King Louis-Philippe.