A fortified castle that was once a royal residence, restored and often animated, one of the must-see places in the Yvelines
After the Provost of Paris, Jehan Bernier, was appointed "sovereign informant of the Waters and Forests of the kingdom" by Charles V, he had to settle in Rambouillet, and in 1368 acquired a modest manor house, which he transformed into a fortified castle. Under the d'Angennes families, the estate was enlarged, and the château welcomed François I, François II and Marie Stuart, Catherine de Médicis, Charles IX, the Duc de Guise, Henri II and Henri IV. At the end of the 18th century, Louis XVI bought Rambouillet and invited Marie-Antoinette to visit: the King commissioned the architect Jacques-Jean Thevenin to build a dairy, where the Queen could taste the cheeses from the nearby farm, where Louis XVI had introduced Merino sheep purchased in Spain. In 1804, Napoleon I decided to restore the dilapidated monument, along with its garden and hydraulic system, where Empress Marie-Louise took refuge ten years later. The château was successively home to Louis XVIII and Charles X, and, while not of interest to Louis-Philippe, was occupied by various tenants between 1834 and 1852 - when Napoleon III reinstated the estate to the civil list, without actually residing there. In 1896, it became the summer and hunting residence of the French presidents. Today, the estate is a must-see in Yvelines, and indeed in the whole of the Paris region. Regularly animated, it has undergone extensive restoration work, enabling it to regain its incredible lustre. A must-see when visiting Rambouillet!
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Le parc en revanche est très beau (gratuit) possibilité de faire de la barque, du vélo, etc. Vous pourrez passer devant la laiterie de la reine et la chaumière aux coquillages, mais pour y rentrer, vous devrez payer (visite du château inclue).