The Encyclopædia Britannica identifies him as the most accomplished of 17th-century French architects whose works "are renowned for their high degree of refinement, subtlety, and elegance".

Mansart was recognized from the 1620s onward for his style and skill as an architect, but he was viewed as a stubborn and difficult perfectionist, who tore down his structures in order to start building them over again.

[citation needed] The only surviving example of his early work is the Château de Balleroy, commissioned by a chancellor to Gaston, Duke of Orléans.

The best preserved example of his mature style is the Château de Maisons, which retains its original interior decoration, including a magnificent staircase.

Following allegations of profligacy in the management of the project's costs, he was replaced with a more tractable architect, who largely followed Mansart's design.