Wedding at Château de Baronville: a photographer’s guide
A 19th-century château on a vast estate with lakes, under an hour south-west of Paris, near Chartres
By Marion Pinel, destination wedding photographer · Updated
Château de Baronville is a château built in 1867–1868 by the architect Léon de Sanges for the Marquis de Pomereu d’Aligre, in Béville-le-Comte, about 65 km south-west of Paris near Chartres. Rented exclusively for receptions since 1980, it offers a series of salons along a marble gallery for up to about 200 seated, a large park with lakes, and the Carrousel, a separate building on the estate restored for weddings.
- Location
- Béville-le-Comte, Eure-et-Loir
- Access
- Paris ~65 km, < 1 h
- Estate
- Park with several lakes
- Guests
- Up to ~200 seated
The venue: a château of the d’Aligre family
Château de Baronville stands on an estate where a Louis XIII château was built in the 1620s. The d’Aligre family bought it in 1783, and the present château was built in 1867–1868 by the architect Léon de Sanges for the Marquis de Pomereu d’Aligre. It has been rented out exclusively for receptions since 1980, and still belongs to the family.
Its salons, its marble gallery and its park with several lakes make it one of the grand family châteaux within an hour of Paris.
Where the ceremony and reception take place
According to Châteaux & Mariages and the estate’s weddings page:
- The park and the lakes: for the ceremony and outdoor moments.
- The salons along the marble gallery: dinner for up to about 200 seated.
- The lawns: for a large cocktail.
- The Carrousel: a separate building on the estate, built in 1882 and restored in 2011–2012 for weddings, with accommodation.
Room counts and prices are not published: ask the estate directly for the château or the Carrousel.
Photo spots to plan for
When I prepare a wedding at a venue, I study its layout, its orientation and its light beforehand, so that the day flows without anyone waiting for photos. At Château de Baronville, these are the places I would build the day around:
The main façade
A grand 19th-century façade for arrivals, the group photo and classic portraits.
The lakes
Water, reflections and old trees for romantic portraits in the evening.
The marble gallery
Stone floors, tall windows and a long perspective for editorial indoor portraits.
Light and timing
Baronville lies in the open plain of the Beauce, so the evening light is long, low and golden, and the lakes catch the colours of the sunset.
In late June the sun sets around 21:55 near Chartres, and around 19:35 by the end of September.
A wedding day here, hour by hour
An example timeline I would suggest for a late-June wedding:
- 14:00
- Getting ready in the château
- 16:00
- First look by the lakes
- 17:00
- Ceremony in the park
- 18:00
- Cocktail on the lawns, family photos
- 20:30
- Golden-hour portraits in the park
- 21:00
- Dinner in the salons along the marble gallery
- 23:00
- Cake and first dance
Getting there and where to stay
Béville-le-Comte is about 65 km south-west of Paris, under an hour by car; Auneau station, on the line from Paris-Montparnasse, is 5 km away.
Guests can stay at the Carrousel, in Chartres or in Rambouillet. Around the wedding, take your guests to Chartres cathedral.
Editorial wedding photography in Paris
See a wedding at the Ritz Paris and a wedding at Château du Prieuré, and my guides to the Ritz Paris and Château de Nainville, where I have photographed.
Paris wedding photographer →Questions about a wedding at Château de Baronville
Where is Château de Baronville?
In Béville-le-Comte, in the Eure-et-Loir, about 65 km south-west of Paris near Chartres.
How many guests can Château de Baronville host?
According to Châteaux & Mariages, up to about 200 seated in the salons along the marble gallery.
Can guests stay on site?
The Carrousel, a separate building on the estate restored for weddings, offers accommodation; check availability with the estate.
How much does a wedding at Château de Baronville cost?
Prices are not published; ask the estate directly.