Our history
Mentioned since the Middle Ages, the land of Sandricourt belonged to the Hédouville family, the organizers of the famous 'Pas d’Armes de Sandricourt.' In 1493, in a sensitive political context, the land of Sandricourt hosted over 4,000 people for a multi-day tournament. This event was particularly exceptional as it brought together the most influential knights and lords of the Kingdom of France.
As centuries passed, this land was passed from the Saint-Simon family to the de Banne family, eventually becoming a barony that saw the disappearance of the old medieval fortress in the 19th century. All that remains today is the chapel.
For most of the 19th century, the Sandricourt Estate belonged to the Beauvoirs family, who made it a preferred destination for hunting. As the destination gained recognition, the park was developed. Between 1880 and 1900, Henri and Achille Duchêne, two famous French landscape architects, designed the Marquise Alley. This double alley, lined with lime trees, stretches for over 4 kilometers. It was classified as a historical monument by order of July 18, 1991.
In 1908, the property was purchased by the American Robert Walton Goelet, of Vendée origin. A landowner, banker, and married to the daughter of a French wine merchant, he developed the Sandricourt Estate for several decades. Thus, on the eve of World War II, the Sandricourt Estate covered 5,000 hectares.
Clay pigeon shooting
The Sandricourt Estate is the only French estate to offer simulated shoot.
If you want to enjoy a memorable day as part of your stay, join our team of professionals.
This unique day consists of a tailor-made program, including:
- A welcome breakfast
- Three shooting sessions in the morning
- A lunch prepared and served by our team
- Two afternoon shooting sessions
- A social gathering
Agriculture
The Sandricourt Estate currently covers 5436 acres of agricultural and forested land, and its activities provide employment for 12 people.
Today, the agricultural activity utilizes 3,700 acres, including:
- 2965 acres of cereal and oilseed crops
- 370 acres of blackcurrant and redcurrant orchards
- 370 acres of grasslands, environmental fallow land, and biodiversity-friendly developments, such as numerous hedges and flowery field edges.
Our agricultural operation is a leader in environmental preservation. Our efforts are focused on groundwater quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and preserving biodiversity.
The Sandricourt Estate is part of a Payment for Environmental Services project. This involves remunerating the results of agricultural actions aimed at preserving water quality (nitrate and pesticide concentrations in groundwater), reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and protecting biodiversity.
On a daily basis, we work to preserve biodiversity by implementing hedges and flowery field edges that are favorable to insects, pollinators, and wildlife.
The Sandricourt Estate is also involved in ecological compensation projects aimed at converting agricultural land into biodiversity-friendly areas to offset the impact of construction projects on natural lands at the departmental level.
Forestry
The forestry activity of the Sandricourt Estate involves managing a wooded area of 1559 acres, primarily consisting of oak trees.
The management method, using the coppice with standard technique, ensures sustainable forest management without clear-cutting. This approach promotes the natural regeneration of trees, thus ensuring the forest's continuity through generations.
The wooded areas of the Sandricourt Estate serve as models of harmony between forestry activity and nature conservation, where biodiversity thrives in an environment managed sustainably and in respect of the forest ecosystem.
A Duty of preservation
Generally, the Sandricourt Estate is firmly committed to preserving the identity and history that permeate this location.
Several spaces that took shape during the development of the Estate in the 20th century, and even earlier in some cases, are carefully preserved and, in some instances, still in use.
For instance, the houses in the Sandricourt hamlet, which historically served as accommodations for estate employees, are still maintained and available for rent. They serve as a testament to the genuine historical character that resides within this place.
Similarly, the Hamecourt Farm, a building dating back to the 15th century and remarkably well-preserved, is currently undergoing restoration to host a future new project. This initiative aligns with our commitment to keep the history and essence of the Sandricourt Estate alive.
