I just discovered Castle of Stors next to Paris which is in full restoration and whose history should interest you!
It was built for the prince Louis Françoise de Bourbon Conti by the architect Constant d'Ivry
in 1746.Well known guests such as
Diderot, d'Alembert, Rousseau, Buffon, Grimm were often invited by the prince in his field.

(The palace at the 19th century)
By transmission , the castle passed to
Lannes de Montebello.

Gustave Lannes de Montebello was
the French ambassador in Saint Petersburg; as a matter of fact the Romanov family used to hunt in the park.
The tzarine fell under the spell of the orchids and Gustave delivered by private car for it to flourish tables in Saint Petersburg.
Members of the Romanov family loved to come there , including the Grand Duke Alexis (1850-1908), brother of Alexander III.
Two Siberian bears were offered by Nicolas II to Montbello, they were placed in the grotto below.

In 1944, Allied bombing destroyed the north wing of the castle and the farm.

The bombing partially destroyed the palace but damaging also the park. Followed Sixty years of neglect, and the 1990 where the palace was threatened of demolition. Looting and vandalism have disfigured but finally a family of passionate dared challenge: restore the field in his last splendour.

In 2001, the terraces, kiosks, and pelvis are included in the supplementary inventory of Historical Monuments.
Store is currently being restored. http://chateaudestors.com/http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Stors