These 5 castles to visit in Paris and Ile-de-France


While the number of castles in France is estimated at 45,000, including 11,000 classified according to Barnes properties and castles, Ile-de-France has several gems not to be missed.

From the Conciergerie to the castle of Vaux-le Vicomte, passing by the unmissable residence of the Sun King or the castle of Malmaison, these visits combine both discovery of the cultural and historical heritage with an outing in the fresh air.

The Concierge – Paris (1st)

Former residence of the Kings of France until the end of the 14and century, become a prison during the revolution, the conciergerie offers in the heart of Paris a dive into the history of France, from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution. Clovis, Philippe Auguste, Saint Louis and Philippe Le Bel stayed there, not to mention that it was Marie-Antoinette’s last prison.

Vincennes Castle – Val de Marne (94)

With its 50 meter high keep, built in the 14th century, the Château de Vincennes does not go unnoticed at the gates of Paris. Today it is the tallest fortified medieval building in Europe. Place of royal residence until Louis XIV preferred the Palace of Versailles in 1682, its dungeon also became a prison, which in the 18th century notably housed illustrious prisoners such as Diderot, Mirabeau or the Marquis de Sade .

The Palace of Versailles – Yvelines (78)

The best known and most visited castle in France, the residence of the Sun King cultivates superlatives with its 64,110 m² of floor space, its 50 staircases, its 118 chimneys and its famous Hall of Mirrors 75 meters long. An estate built on former swamps, which now extends over 800 hectares, notably housing the Queen’s pavilion, the gardens designed by Le Nôtre and its sublime view of the Grand Canal.

The castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte – Seine-et-Marne (77)

It served as a model for the Palace of Versailles. Just that! Built in the 17th century by Nicolas Fouquet, superintendent of finances for Louis XIV, the beauty of the castle, its 33 hectares of French gardens and its sumptuous parties have also caused the loss of Fouquet. Jealous of all this splendor, Louis XIV had the latter imprisoned for life, before bringing together the team behind Vaux-le-Vicomte – the landscaper André Le Nôtre, the architect Louis Le Vau and the painter Charles Lebrun – to imagine his Palace of Versailles.

Malmaison Castle – Haut-de-Seine (92)

Located in Rueil Malmaison, the Château de Malmaison has also had illustrious owners. Sold in 1799 to Joséphine Bonaparte, it became one of the couple’s places of residence as well as one of the seats of power between 1800 and 1802. On her divorce, Joséphine kept this small castle and died there in 1814.

His life and his passion for botany are notably traced there. The garden is home to a rose garden with nearly 150 varieties. Flowers adored by the Empress, of whom Rose was the first name, before becoming Josephine after her marriage to Bonaparte.





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