Château de Vincennes

COVID 19: IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE MEASURES TAKEN BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT, THE MONUMENTS WILL BE CLOSED FROM OCTOBER 30TH AND UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

A royal residence on the edges of Paris.

The Château of Vincennes was used as royal residence from the 12th to 18th century and it has preserved its medieval towers, the Sainte-Chapelle and the 14th century keep which is the highest of its kind in Europe. In 1365, Charles V, King of France, transformed the family manor house at Vincennes into a more suitable royal dwelling and built the present keep to house his art collection and manuscripts. From the early 15th century to the 1800s, the keep was used as a prison, a symbol of absolute State power, which saw the imprisonment of famous figures such as Fouquet, the Marquis de Sade, and Mirabeau.

The Sainte-Chapelle started in 1379 offers to the public a remarkable decorative ensemble and realised the dreams of King Charles V to add a truly exceptional religious edifice to this impressive fortress.

New: visit the gatehouse parapet and discover the two offices of the King’s secretary. In the Sainte-Chapelle, the sacristy, attics and Treasury are now open to visitors.