The wealthy Genevan philanthropist Jean-Jacques de Sellon, who owned the property until 1839, gave accommodation at the castle to, amongst many others, such political refugees as Napoleon's brother Joseph Bonaparte, Joséphine de Beauharnais, the Duke of Bassano, the Count Camille Cavour, Voltaire as well as to Franz Liszt and George Sand.
•
In 1830 de Sellon founded the Society of Peace, a forerunner of the League of Nations and the United Nations Organization (UNO).