At the very beginning, Villers-Cotterêts was only a simple clearing in the immense forest. The first settlements appeared in the 6th century. Today, 75 km from Paris, the town benefits from a remarkable site constituted by the Retz forest: one of the largest state forests in France with nearly 13,000 hectares. This exceptional location has earned it the right to be the hunting residence of many kings and princes, as early as 632, with King Dagobert. But the most fervent was undoubtedly François I who built the castle that we can admire today. It was in Villers-Cotterêts that he signed, in August 1559, the ordinance known as the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts. This ordinance prescribed, among other things, the writing of official and notarized acts in "langaige maternel françoys et non aultrement" and the keeping of a register of baptisms and deaths by the parish priests: the French language thus became an official language and the beginnings of civil status were born! Afterwards, the wars ravaged many establishments such as the castle, which had difficulty recovering from the material and human damage. However, today, the Villers-Cotterêts castle is being renovated to become the museum of the French-speaking world. The city is also the home of Alexandre Dumas, father of the Three Musketeers, whose footsteps can be followed in the city. The park, located in the heart of the city, has retained the main features of its original composition. Through the White Gate, the walker has access to the nearby forest.

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