In the heart of a vast park planted with tall cedar trees, the Château de la Motte, dating from the 19th century, now houses the Vémars town hall and a museum dedicated to the writer François Mauriac (1885-1970). This site, which received the label “Regional Heritage” in 2023, reveals a rich history.
The building is the work of the Bouchard family, an old bourgeois family from Vémars established since the 17th century. Auguste Bouchard, a deputy under Louis-Philippe and a councilor at the Court of Auditors under Napoleon III, had a first holiday home built on the La Motte property, acquired in 1859. He himself drew the plans for this bourgeois house, accompanied by its outbuildings, stables, and a gatekeeper's house.
Modified in 1882, the “Maison rose” (Pink House), as the family called it, was completed with two small brick side wings. The pink facade is characterized by its limestone pilasters and window frames. The interior layout included a living room, a dining room, and a billiard room. The gate comes from the château of Neuilly, a former residence of Louis-Philippe. The landscaped park was developed from the same year.
Jeanne Lafon, great-granddaughter of Auguste Bouchard, married François Mauriac in 1913. The poet and writer and his wife spent many summers in Vémars. Mauriac took refuge there in 1943 and, under the pseudonym “Forez,” partly wrote his famous “Cahier noir” in Vémars. He only left Vémars at the Liberation.
In 1951, Jeanne Lafon inherited the château. The Mauriacs undertook extensive renovations, and the writer installed his study and library on the upper floor. The residence remained in the family until 1983, when the heirs ceded it to the municipality, on the condition that the memory of their father be durably honored.
Despite the town hall being located in the Château de la Motte, a small museum has been set up to recreate François Mauriac's study and library. From 1986 to 1990, the heirs donated various furniture, objects, documents, and books to the municipality of Vémars. The museum is open year-round by appointment.
