The development and influence of Vincennes are closely linked to the history of its famous castle, royal residence from Philippe Auguste to Louis XIV. With its dungeon, its tower and its Sainte-Chapelle, it is today one of the main assets of this city. It is the largest remaining royal castle in France and is admirably represented in the famous book "Les très riches heures du duc de Berry" from the 15thcentury ! But the same is true of the wood - with its pagoda, its lakes, the Floral Park, its arboretum, etc. - But the same is true of the wood - with its pagoda, lakes, floral park, arboretum, etc. - which bears his name, even though it has been part of the territory of the City of Paris since a decree of 1929. But the city of Vincennes, which has nearly 50,000 inhabitants, a figure that has been rising since the early 1990s, has several surprises in store for its visitors. Listed buildings, such as the town hall and the Saint-Louis church, superb apartment buildings, some of them Art Deco, and architectural curiosities are all to be found in the streets of the town center or on the edge of the woods. In addition to the wood, the city has eleven squares and six gardens with a heritage of 3,700 trees of some sixty different species! It is also worth noting the large number of shops in the center, and the impression of being in a small provincial town with charming streets. Also in the immediate vicinity, the zoological park (former zoo of Vincennes), the superb Palais de la Porte Dorée and the hippodrome, even if, officially, they are part of the city of Paris!
