Chateau de Vincennes - a journey into the turbulent French past

The Chateau de Vincennes is the only fortified castle in the suburbs of Paris, near the beautiful Bois de Vincennes. Built in the 14th century, this fortress used to be a hunting lodge and residence for the kings of France and even a state prison where a famous Dutch spy Mata Hari was executed by a firing squad in 1917. Today, many interesting events are organized in the fortress, like 'The Murder Party', a family and team game where you have a chance to discover the history from a different angle. This place is full of surprises. So, don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Chateau de Vincennes and join the journey into the turbulent French past.

Bois de Vincennes

Bois de Vincennes, 75012 Paris, France

The Chateau de Vincennes

Avenue de Paris, Vincennes, France

A little bit of history

The Chateau de Vincennes was constructed by the French king Louis VII in 1150 as a hunting lodge in the forest of Vincennes. A donjon tower, the tallest medieval fortified structure in Europe, was added by Philip VI in 1337, and a grand rectangular circuit of walls, was completed about two generations later. The donjon was not a dark and cold fortress as we can imagine. It was a confortable residence of the royal family. The Chateau de Vincennes was at the heart of the French monarchy until 1682, when Louis XIV chose to settle in Versailles. Abandoned, the fortress still served, first as a site of the Vincennes porcelain manufactory and then as a state prison, where Fouquet, the Marquis de Sade and Mirabeau were held. Restored after being almost completely damaged during the Second World War, the Château de Vincennes is listed as a historical monument in 1993 and 1999.

Did you know?

Did you know that the Chateau de Vincennes was closed in 1995 as the donjon tower threatened to fall? An extensive renovation program was undertaken, and after the consolidation of its structure, the donjon and the royal apartments reopened to the public in 2007. The interior decoration of the Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes, a gothic chapel inside the fortifications of the Chateau de Vincennes was completely destroyed in 1793, during the French Revolution. After being destroyed for the second time in the World War II, the stained glass windows were smashed during the storm of December 26th 1999, when the wind crossed Paris at 200 km/h. After years and years of restorations, the chapel has been open to the public in September 2009. And have you heard of the “Escale plan”? This secret plan is actually an evacuation plan of the Elysee Palace (Palais de l'Élysée), an official residence of the President of France, to the Chateau de Vincennes, in case of floods.

Practical information

The Chateau de Vincennes with its journey into the turbulent French past is open to visitors every day from September 22nd to May 20th, from 10 am to 5 pm, and from May 21st to September 21st, from 10 am to 6 pm. The guided tours in French are organized every day at 10.30 am, 2.15 pm, 3 pm, without reservations.