Paul Phélypeaux was the king's counselor in 1610 and the founder of the Pontchartrain branch of the Phélypeaux family, which kept the chateau until 1802 under a supervised sale of the French Revolution.
His son Louis I Phélypeaux had the main building built between 1633 and 1662, whose attribution to François Mansart is unfounded.

Jean Phélypeaux (1646-1711), intendent of Paris from 1690 to 1709, councilor of state, was a client of the cabinetmaker André-Charles Boulle.

Louis II Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain, Jean's brother, was Controller of Finance in 1689 and Chancellor in 1699.

Chancellor Pontchartrain was described by Saint-Simon as a "very small, thin man, who constantly emitted sparks of fire and spirit."

He assumed the name of the property, where he assigned brother François Romain and André Le Nôtre to raise the chateau and in 1693 to design a magnificent park.

After his wife died he was grief-stricken and resigned all his offices, which contemporaries thought he had never seen according to his friend Saint Simon.

He retired to Ponchartrain, where he died.

His only son Jérôme Phélypeaux was Secretary of State of the Navy, and in 1699 a Canadian lake was given his name.

He was also Secretary of State of the King's House, "who delighted in rendering ill services and who amused the King with the gossip of Paris", according to Saint-Simon who hated him but nevertheless in 1713 attended his remarriage at the chateau.

After the death of Louis XIV he continued to attend the Council to "blow out the candles " before Saint-Simon gots the Regent to exile him in Ponchartrain, 
where in 1738 he transformed the main building behind the courtyard.

When Jérôme Phélypeaux died the estate passed to his son Jean Frédéric Phélypeaux, Count of Maurepas.
At the age of 22, Maurepas assumed the position of Secretary of State that his father had held, as a confidant of Louis XV.
He was the protector of the sisters of (Mailly) Nesles, their parents, successive favorites of the king.

He was disgraced in 1749 for a song mocking Madame de Pompadour, then recalled in 1774 by Louis XVI, who made him First Minister.
In 1781 he died childless at the age of 80, and Pontchartrain passed to his niece Adélaide Diane Hortense Délie Mazarini-Mancini (1742-1808), daughter of the Duke of Nevers.
 In 1760 she had married the Duke Louis-Hercule Timoléon de Cossé-Brissac, commander of the constitutional guard of Louis XVI.
 He was killed on 9 September 1792 in Versailles, and his head was thrown from the street into the house of Madame du Barry.
 The estate was immediately subject to effective receivership, with limited funds available to its heir, the dis-ennobled Duchess.
Paul Phélypeaux was the king's counselor in 1610 and the founder of the Pontchartrain branch of the Phélypeaux family, which kept the chateau until 1802 under a supervised sale of the French Revolution. His son Louis I Phélypeaux had the main building built between 1633 and 1662, whose attribution to François Mansart is unfounded.
Jean Phélypeaux (1646-1711), intendent of Paris from 1690 to 1709, councilor of state, was a client of the cabinetmaker André-Charles Boulle.
Louis II Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain, Jean's brother, was Controller of Finance in 1689 and Chancellor in 1699.
Chancellor Pontchartrain was described by Saint-Simon as a "very small, thin man, who constantly emitted sparks of fire and spirit."
He assumed the name of the property, where he assigned brother François Romain and André Le Nôtre to raise the chateau and in 1693 to design a magnificent park.
After his wife died he was grief-stricken and resigned all his offices, which contemporaries thought he had never seen according to his friend Saint Simon.
He retired to Ponchartrain, where he died.
His only son Jérôme Phélypeaux was Secretary of State of the Navy, and in 1699 a Canadian lake was given his name.
He was also Secretary of State of the King's House, "who delighted in rendering ill services and who amused the King with the gossip of Paris", according to Saint-Simon who hated him but nevertheless in 1713 attended his remarriage at the chateau.
After the death of Louis XIV he continued to attend the Council to "blow out the candles " before Saint-Simon gots the Regent to exile him in Ponchartrain, 
where in 1738 he transformed the main building behind the courtyard.
When Jérôme Phélypeaux died the estate passed to his son Jean Frédéric Phélypeaux, Count of Maurepas. At the age of 22, Maurepas assumed the position of Secretary of State that his father had held, as a confidant of Louis XV. He was the protector of the sisters of (Mailly) Nesles, their parents, successive favorites of the king.
He was disgraced in 1749 for a song mocking Madame de Pompadour, then recalled in 1774 by Louis XVI, who made him First Minister. In 1781 he died childless at the age of 80, and Pontchartrain passed to his niece Adélaide Diane Hortense Délie Mazarini-Mancini (1742-1808), daughter of the Duke of Nevers.  In 1760 she had married the Duke Louis-Hercule Timoléon de Cossé-Brissac, commander of the constitutional guard of Louis XVI.  He was killed on 9 September 1792 in Versailles, and his head was thrown from the street into the house of Madame du Barry.  The estate was immediately subject to effective receivership, with limited funds available to its heir, the dis-ennobled Duchess.
Château de Pontchartrain