Hey guys,
today I'm posting for the first time directly via the pinmapple community (got a tip ;)). I'm curious how it will turn out!
My post today will be about a castle in France. I haven't been there for a long time. But I thought, even though this trip was a while ago, I can tell you about it because I definitely remember it!
To be more precise, today we will be talking about Rambouillet Castle. The castle is located in Rambouillet, southwest of Paris.
And thats how the castle looks like:
my favorite picture from the castle :)
Entrance to the garden area
The Château de Rambouillet was once the residence of kings, emperors and presidents of France. Until 2009, it was still the residence of the President of France. It is located in the Yvelines. This is a department and is located in the western part of the Île-de-France region in the Paris metropolitan area.
From a simple castle to a royal residence
And now for the castle itself: The grounds around the château are huge (almost as you would expect for a royal residence ;). It is located in the middle of a park of almost 1000 hectares and directly in the forest of Rambouillet.
this photo shows it: the park was sooo big!
Today, the castle is a historical monument. For a long time, French diplomacy, i.e. many historically significant meetings, especially with politicians, took place here.
And here are a two examples (I'm sure you know a historical event of it):
The talks on the Franco-German Treaty took place in the château and the first ever G6 summit met here.
Which I found very interesting, also from an architectural perspective:
The castle was a castle at the very beginning, in the 14th century. Over the centuries, probably also because of the huge grounds, the beautiful park and generally a charming location, the castle was converted into a palace. Completed in 1783, it was from then on a pleasure residence for kings and presidents. Another reason that the castle was chosen for the residence was probably that the area around the castle used to be a popular hunting ground. Even today, non-French presidents and heads of state reside here.
What you are probably most interested in: The château is also open to visitors (during Corona then hopefully again in summer).
No expense has been spared on the inside: there is an entire room almost entirely in marble, plus high-quality oak panelling from the 18th century. And all kinds of historical decorations.
I can definitely recommend a visit to the castle! And not just because of the beautiful castle or the interiors. Nature lovers will also get their money's worth here, or if you're interested in gardens, this is also the place to be. Because: not only the castle building is admirable, but above all the park and the French garden around it.
A garden that shows the change
If you visit the castle, you will also go into the garden and walk through the many water features. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any more photos of them, but I remember them all the better: There is also a shell cottage right next to the castle. When you see it, you know immediately that it must be the Shell Cottage:It consists entirely of shells and is decorated with things made of mother-of-pearl. At the end of the 18th century, the Duke of Penthièvre had it made for the famous Duchess of Lamballe - if that's not love ;) and it's made entirely of shells and mother-of-pearl decorations.
What excited me very much: The gardens are all quite different, no two are alike. They were gradually laid out between the 17th and 18th centuries. This also explains how the picture gradually changes during the tour. You can easily see the evolution of taste at that time: First the classical parterres, then gradually aleas with exotic trees. In addition, more and more details are added.
And this is what you will see during a visit: the French garden, a water garden, Shell Cottage, then a Queen's dairy and finally a national sheep farm.
I hope you enjoyed the post and got an impression of the castle. By the way, the castle is also easy to reach by bike ;))
See you next time!