In 1744, on the death of his father, the Marquis de La Bussière Charles-Jean-Baptiste du Tillet (1710-1796) inherited the lands of Villarceaux, in Chaussy in present Val d’Oise. In the 18th century, the feudal castle of Villarceaux (12th-15th century) was no longer in fashion, as its small, poorly-lit rooms made it impossible to receive guests properly. The new Marquis de Villarceaux thus dismantled the medieval buildings and commissioned the architect Jean-Baptiste Courtonne (1712-1781) to build him a grand country house. Situated on a high ground, from where one can see the whole Vexin countryside, the Upper Castle and its park overlook the valley.