Vue des jardins du Château de Rambouillet

Château de Rambouillet

In the heart of the Rambouillet forest, experience the intimacy of this once royal residence, which has been home to the greatest figures of French history, from Francis I to the Presidents of the Republic.

  1. What to see and do
  2. Visiting
  3. Monuments
  4. Château de Rambouillet


Description

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!

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Community facilities

Access and contact

Château de Rambouillet
78120 Rambouillet

    Days and opening hours

    Establishment closed temporarily.

    Prices

    • Free entry for children < 18 years. Group rate available for > 20 people.

    Tour

    Spoken languages

    • English
    • French

    Guided tour languages

    • English

    Documentation languages (home)

    • Italian
    • Dutch
    • German
    • English
    • Spanish
    • French
    • Russian

    Bulletin board languages

    • German
    • English
    • Spanish
    • French
    • Italian
    • Dutch
    • Russian

    Single mean time tour

    50 mins

    Single services tour

    • Unguided individual tours available permanently
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    Château de Rambouillet
    78120 Rambouillet

    • Copyright image:
    • © CPR / JL Polion