Drawn to Italy and the Provençal countryside, Marie Fontaine, A wealthy widow from northern France discovers the castle of Grignan.
She bought it in 1912 and decided to dedicate her fortune to its restoration. She sought advice from the scholars of her time and organized renovations. The approach and quality of the work reflect the tastes of the upper middle class of the Belle Époque.
When Marie Fontaine died in 1937, her heirs did not continue her work. The castle, although partially inhabited, was gradually abandoned until its purchase in 1979 by the Drôme Department.
