Château de Rambouillet

(Please note: as of 18 July 2022, the Imperial Apartment is closed for restoration until May 2023).

Accessible by train from the Montparnasse station, and just 45 minutes from Paris, the recently restored château de Rambouillet will immerse you in the intimate history of France. Constructed in 1345, the castle was once a royal residence built in the heart of the giant forest. Francis I, Louis XVI and Napoléon I all took up residence here. Today this domain, which later became a presidential residence, still welcomes heads of state. As you walk through the rooms charged with history (Francis I died here, and Napoléon I spent his last night in France here), you’ll soon come across Marie-Antoinette’s boudoir, a grand room with superb woodwork, and later, a medieval tower.

A great family visit

After visiting the château, the garden’s 150-hectare park awaits you. Delve into the splendour of royal life with two architectural marvels, unique in Europe. There is the Queen’s Dairy to discover, created by Louis XVI to entertain Marie-Antoinette. In this neoclassical temple, the queen would come to sip fresh milk and play at farm life. Further on stands the Shell Cottage set within an English garden. Crafted with unmatched skill, the astonishing décor is composed of shells, mother-of-pearl and fragments of marble. As you leave, don’t miss the educational farm the Bergerie Nationale de Rambouillet, the National Sheepfold, constructed in 1785 by Louis XVI. Finally, go boating on the canals of the French-style garden, or take a ride in an electric car or a bicycle before taking a gourmet break in the shade of the linden trees.

Discover the Château de Rambouillet through one of the treasure hunts in the Paris Region Adventures application specially designed for families and downloadable free of charge.

And don't miss the Pass Marie-Antoinette to discover 4 emblematic sites in Paris Region that marked the queen's destiny!

The great châteaux of Paris Region have their little secrets. Find out for yourself!