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Visit of the park and the castle of Compiègne

A visit to the castle of Compiègne located one hour from Paris

The château de Compiègne is located not far from Paris, it is easy to access because it is located next to the A1 freeway.

The construction of the castle began in 1380, it has always been a royal residence, most of the time the sovereigns came to spend a few days in Compiegne to hunt in the surrounding forests.

The castle was damaged during the revolution. Napoleon I decided to restore it. Napoleon III also liked the place very much, he could relax far from the Parisian life. Every autumn he organized receptions that were called "les séries". He received a certain number of guests during one week, these guests were fed and lodged and left at the end of the week to be replaced by others. The invitation cards were very coveted. Entertainment was organized to avoid boredom. Nevertheless, many guests complained about the freezing cold in these large, poorly heated rooms.

Once the visit of the castle is done, one can take advantage of it to visit the castle of Pierrefonds located at a few kilometers.

The visit of the castle is essential for the amateurs of the Empire period.

Interest: good (1 user)
Difficulty:
Duration: 3 h.
Practical information

Entrance of the castle of Compiègne

The castle also contains a museum of the car and tourism and a museum of the Second Empire. These museums are not open to the public, you must be accompanied by a guide. Please ask at the reception desk.
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Staircase of Apollo

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Card fair

The guests had to be entertained during the long autumn evenings. Many games were proposed (miniature billiards, cards...)
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The Emperor's room

The castle shows a remarkable set of Empire style furniture, especially in this room.
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The Ball Gallery

Very beautiful and large ballroom made under Napoleon I in 1809. The paintings on the ceiling evoke the victories of Napoleon. Between 1914 and 1917 the room was used as a military hospital.
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The castle seen from the park

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The park of the castle of Compiègne

The park is quite ordinary, there are no water features or waterfalls.
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Allées du château de Compiègne

The walk in the park is free. The entrance fee for the castle is €8, the entrance is free on the first Sunday of the month.
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The plan of the park

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Other walks

At 4.46 Km

The Armistice clearing in the forest of Compiègne

At 8.98 Km

The castle of Pierrefonds

At 35.84 Km

The park and the castle of Chantilly

At 44.91 Km

Walking tour of the Royaumont Abbey

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