Private owners

Since 1674 : the seigneury of Ferney has belonged to the de Budé family, based in Geneva.

From 1759 to 1778: Voltaire, Lord of Ferney

• He built the central part of his chateau from 1759 to 1761, then added two wings in 1765.
• The castle took on its final appearance in 1766.
• Voltaire stayed there until his triumphant return to Paris in February 1778.

From 1778 to 1785 : Charles Michel du Plessis-Villette, Marquis of Villette, a friend of Voltaire and the main instigator of Voltaire's last trip to Paris, where the philosopher dies on May 30, 1778.

• Construction of the cenotaph.
• Transformation of Voltaire's room into a "memorial room" dedicated to the posthumous cult of the philosopher.

From 1785 to 1844 : Jacques-Louis de Budé, descendant of Jacob de Budé who sold the castle to Voltaire in 1759.

• In 1798, the building housing Voltaire's theatre was demolished and the circular forebuilding on the rear façade of the chateau was transformed.
• Following the construction of the Notre-Dame-et-Saint-André church in Ferney, the former parish church was attached to the estate and became the chateau chapel.

From 1845 to 1847 : Barthélémy-Eugène Griolet, a former wool spinner and former mayor of the 5^th arrondissement of Paris.

• Partitions were removed between the dining room and the library (with the addition of a fireplace) and between Voltaire's bedroom and his valet.
• Addition of 19^th-century marquetry in these modified rooms.
• In the basement, replacement of the basement window wells with eight barred windows and creation of four small courtyards in front of them. Renovation of the steps on the porch.

From 1848 to 1879: Claude-Marie David-Missilier, a lapidary based in Paris.

• Relocation of Voltaire's memorial chamber to his former painting and billiard room.
• The cenotaph was moved to the main salon.

From 1879 to 1897 : Emile Lambert, son-in-law of Claude-Marie David, sculptor responsible for the works in the chateau grounds and in the town of Ferney-Voltaire.

• The route of the route de Moëns was moved to create a new entrance and the Allée du Château in 1882.
• Creation of the caretaker's pavilion in 1885 by Geneva architect Jacques-Elysée Goss.
• Addition of a veranda to the south facade of the château in 1892.
• Planting of boxwood groves on the site of the former theatre and installation of a bust of the fabulist Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian.

From 1897 to 1916 : Hortense Lambert-David, widow of Emile Lambert.

• Alterations to the lower terraces and creation of the Orangerie by architect Edmond Fatio, on the site of the former presbytery.

From 1916 to 1961 : Pierre Lambert, son of Emile and Hortense Lambert, engineer and head of the Physical Research Laboratory at the Sorbonne.

• Physics and chemistry cabinets were installed in the lower rooms of the chateau.

From 1961 to 1999 : Pierre Lambert's wife and then daughters took over the estate.

Since 1999, the castle has been owned by the French State, and in 2007 its management was handed over to the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, which preserves it and opens it to visitors.