Do you stay in Paris and wish to enjoy a cultural stop? Discover the sublime castle of Vincennes, a must-see tourist site of the French military heritage!
It is in the east of the city of Paris, in the current department of Val-de-Marne , let us find this splendid castle. Not happy to be the largest royal fortress in France, it is also one of the highest in Europe and, through an ambitious restoration work carried out over several centuries, one of the best preserved in the Old Continent.
Located in Vincennes in the middle of a splendid park of nearly 6 hectares, it was the home of the royal family and became a high place of the armed forces of the kingdom, then a prison, before becoming the seat of the historic Defence Service that housed the archives of the French Army.
Today, this jewel of the French heritage attracts many visitors with the heart of taking ownership, the time of an afternoon, this true piece of history filled with legends, exciting anecdotes and including many cultural points of interest.
You will have understood it, visiting the Château de Vincennes is definitely worth a look! And it is for you to make the most of it that we have prepared a small guide that gathers the essential information: brief history of the place, attractions and places to discover, access plan, rates, times and many other essential elements.
Let's go!
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History of Vincennes Castle
Photo credit: Flickr – shogunangel
It is in the middle of the 12th century of our era that the king Louis VII decided to set up a hunting pavilion in the heart of the forest of Vincennes to take advantage of his favourite leisure. From this little ground, Philippe Auguste then Louis IX It was early to consider the construction of a manor house during the thirteenth century.
Fortifications were established under the leadership of Philippe VI de Valois in order to secure the site, more and more often, welcoming members of the royal family, their servants and soldiers' regiments. Moreover, Charles V himself was born in the castle! Strongly attached to the place, he made it the seat of his government and added a colossal enclosure and majestic towers, as well as a dungeon capable of welcoming the royal apartments whose construction ended in 1371 The fortress was born!
The construction of the Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes began 8 years later, this one to receive a fragment of the crown of thorns worn by Christ. Finally, it is Louis XI which permanently installed the royal family in the majestic enclosure of the Château de Vincennes, during the 15th century, taking advantage of the establishment of a pavilion in the southeast of the fortified enclosure.
This pavilion was redesigned during the Renaissance by the illustrious François I , who resided there during his stay in the capital, and the construction of the Sainte-Chapelle was finally completed in the half of the sixteenth century under Henri II . After the assassination of Henry IV, the young Louis XIII was installed in Vincennes in the pavilion of his ancestor Louis XI. The Château de Vincennes then became the third official residence of the reigning dynasty and, later, it was for Louis XIV — the King-Soleil sublimissimus — that an enlargement of the fortress was entrusted to the architect Louis Le Vau who decided to add, 1658 to 1661 , wings to the already grandiose palace: the “pavillons of the King and the Queen”. It is in these last few that the Cardinal Mazarin Died in 1661. His remains were naturally exhibited in the Sainte-Chapelle, thus allowing the faithful to come and gather.
Photo credit: Flickr – Susan Smith
But already, the castle was Louis XIV — megalomaniac and capricious — who suddenly decided to concentrate maintenance and restoration work on the grandiose Palace of Versailles . It’s just if the famous gardener Le Nôtre had the time to set up the famous “jardins à la française” who made his glory in the enclosure of the Château de Vincennes! The latter, which was abandoned by the court of the king, was then set up in State prison, where the nobles who had deplored His Majesty were imprisoned. Nicolas Fouquet in person was incarcerated during his trial.
Finally completely redesigned and converted into an arsenal, he then housed numerous artillery pieces of Napoleonic troops. The castle of Vincennes was also the scene of a violent battle in 1815 in which the General Daumesnil Governor of Vincennes defended this prestigious place against Russian and Prussian armies!
The Emperor Napoleon I had a significant impact on the place since he decided to decapitate the historic enclosure towers of the Château de Vincennes. Shortly afterwards, the park was tasted by adapting to the standards of the English gardens, which were taken from the aristocracy of the time. Then, the famous architect Viollet-le-Duc in person restaura, by order Napoleon III , the chapel and the dungeon adjacent to the fortress and then collapsed.
Mata Hari the famous spy was shot 15 October 1917 for spying on the firing field and the castle of Vincennes, always quick to fill the highest historical tasks, was designated by the General Gamelin en 1940 to serve as a General Staff in the fight against the German invasion. Then the Nazi troops burned the fortress and caused the destruction of the King’s flag and part of the Queen’s flag. ♪ 1964 , Charles de Gaulle He even planned to settle in the castle of Vincennes because he did not find the palace of the Élysée sufficiently prestigious to welcome the Head of State!
Nowadays, the building is dependent on both the Ministry of Defence — it houses its archives — and the Ministry of Culture — the site is classified as a historic monument in 1993 and 1999 . It is also a top tourist point when you visit the Paris region.
Now it's time to discover why!
What to see and do at the Château de Vincennes
Photo credit: Flickr – shogunangel
What is good, when you decide to visit the Château de Vincennes, is that it is only located a few kilometers from the capital!
Her surroundings
It is important to know that, unlike most castles, the latter is not located overhang — on a hill, a cliff or an artificial butt — but in the middle of a limestone plateau just next to a tiny stream, the Ru de Montreuil. The wooded surroundings of the Château de Vincennes are, by the way, perfect places to enjoy a country walk in the middle of nature!
The Enclosure Wall and the Dungeon
The fortress is, a true fortified city, whose full visit lasts 1:30 about. It consists of one enclosure wall with 6 towers of 42 meters high that protects a space of 330 meters on 175, in the center of which one donjon majestic dresses. It is one of the highest in Europe with its 52 meters!
La Sainte-Chapelle
Sainte-Chapelle , whose designers inspired the eponymous chapel — Sainte-Chapelle de Paris - present on the island of Cité, however, is more sober than its model, since it has much less ornaments and garbage. It is still a spectacular building, the interior of which bathes in the light through huge stained glass, for the most part being restored.
Guided tours
Visiting the castle of Vincennes is like discovering an austere fortress, with massive walls made of stone and colossal bricks. If the dungeon is an exceptional room, most of the castle rooms are empty and you have to make your imagination work to imagine everyday life in these massive and partitioned spaces.
However, visits are regularly interspersed with quite interesting information and you can choose to follow one guided tour — free, and in French — where many unusual and exciting anecdotes will be given to you. What fills the apparent lack of treasures to be discovered, apart from the architectural majesty of this colossal fortress.
How to go to Vincennes Castle?
Located close to the Bois de Vincennes, in the city of the same name, the Château de Vincennes is accessible by:
Metro
- Line 1: stop « Vincennes »
- RER A: stop « Vincennes »
By bus
- Line 46
- Line 56
- Line 86
By car
If you choose to go by car, a car park — convenient but often stormed — is actually just a step away from Vincennes Castle.
By taxi
You can of course choose the option of the taxi that can, however, be more or less expensive depending on your starting point.
Schedules & Rates of Vincennes Castle
Photo credit: Flickr – Daniel Kakiuthi
HORARI
- Every day (except January 1, May 1 and December 25): from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- From 23 December to 20 Mayfrom 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Note : a souvenir shop adjoining the site is open to the times previously mentioned.
RATES
The purchase of your ticket can be done directly on site, or on the website of National Monuments .
Classical tour
- Tariff: 9€
- Group rate (from 20 people): 7€
- Free for job seekers – 18 years of age and 18 to 25 years of age nationals of the European Union
Commented visit
A commented French-language tour session under the guidance of a professional guide is offered free of charge. This one lasts 1:30 and is accessible without prior reservation, between 14:15 and 15:00 .
Visit of the dungeon and Sainte-Chapelle
For the visit of the upper floors of the dungeon and the Sainte-Chapelle, it will be necessary to book a specific ticket. this one rises to 12€ .
Good to know.
- A bottle of water is needed during the summer season. It's hot and buildings are not air conditioned!
- In addition, access to the dungeon via a steep staircase can be tiring, and physical fitness is advised.
- Ask her. low-season tourist: the place is world-famous and consequently rather frequented and especially by children, always charming but sometimes turbulent!
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