Bestseller
Paris: Château de Vincennes Entry Ticket
From 13,00 €
Buy the ticket
With its keep over 50 metres high, the Château de Vincennes is one of the tallest medieval fortresses in Europe. It is also the largest French royal castle still standing.
The castle was once a royal hunting lodge before the keep was built and became a defensive structure with towers and a moat. The Sainte-Chapelle chapel and its beautiful stained glass windows, built at the same time to house the relics of the Passion of Christ, are still perfectly intact. Close your eyes and let yourself be transported back to the time when Louis XI had two famous people imprisoned: the Marquis de Sade and the Count of Mirabeau.
Stroll through the King and Queen’s pavilions, built for Louis XIV, before travelling back in time to the days of Napoleon I, when the fortress was turned into a barracks to defend against invasions. The exceptional architecture reflects a unique blend of influences over several centuries. An exciting and educational visit that will delight young and old alike.
On the edge of the Bois de Vincennes, near the Paris Zoological Park, is the largest fortified royal castle in France, which tells a story full of unexpected twists and turns.
This former royal residence served as a prison in the 16th century and was later abandoned by Louis XIV in favour of the Château de Versailles. Today, the castle houses the archives of the French army.
Built at the end of the 12th century, the Château de Vincennes is the only French royal residence from the Middle Ages that still retains its original appearance. A visit to the castle allows you to admire the castle, the Royal Chapel, the ramparts, the moat and the keep. Calculate about 2 hours for the complete visit.
This imposing 50-metre donjon, the highest in Europe, was built at the request of Charles V when he settled with his court at the Château de Vincennes in 1367. Its construction took place in the middle of the Hundred Years’ War.
With its crenellated towers and ramparts, the fortress stands out as a masterpiece of military architecture. Its terrace could accommodate war machines, including catapults, as well as being a luxurious home. In fact, on the first floor, the Council Chamber hosted meetings and banquets while the king’s flats were located on the second floor, with the study where the king kept works of art and manuscripts. The third level was reserved for members of the royal family. Boiseries, tapestries, portraits: everything is richly decorated.
It was not until the 15th century that the keep became a royal prison, which housed famous prisoners such as Diderot, Mirabeau and the Marquis de Sade. Its cells still served during the Second World War and the German occupation. On the walls, prisoners of war left traces of their passage in the form of graffiti.
It was the French Revolution that restored the fortress to its military function. Napoleon I made it a barracks and the arsenal of Paris: it protected the capital during Prussian invasions. It eventually became the command centre of the French General Staff between 1939 and June 1940.
After the keep and its fortifications, Charles V founded the Sainte-Chapelle in 1379. It was an essential element of his architectural project and was meant to affirm the divine dimension of the French monarchy. It was also intended to house fragments of the relics of the Passion, acquired by Louis IX in the 13th century .
The architect Raymond du Temple erected this holy chapel inspired by the Sainte Chapelle in Paris, however, the building site was long and costly and Charles V, who died in 1380, would never see its realisation, which was only completed at the beginning of the Renaissance by Philibert Delorme, architect to Henry II.
Unlike its Parisian namesake, the Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes is built on one level. Its structure conforms to the Gothic style, with tall windows separated by large buttresses and evolving towards flamboyant Gothic, which emphasises the richly ornamented sculptures. The sumptuous decoration of the west façade is a perfect example.
The magnificent stained glass windows of the choir represent the Apocalypse according to Saint-Jean and were commissioned by Henry II between 1556 and 1559. Made by master glassmaker Nicolas Beaurain, they show an incredible mastery of colour.
In the keep, the king’s bedroom embodies the powerful royal residence desired by Charles V. Indeed, in the 14th century, Charles V wanted to make the Château de Vincennes the symbol of his power and decided to move here, having his private flats fitted out.
The Sovereign’s Chamber is located just above the Council Chamber, on the first floor of the keep. The two are very similar, with vaulted ceilings. Originally, both were lined with wood panelling on the ceiling and walls: this ingenious solution made it possible to conserve heat, since the fireplaces were not enough.
The room is richly decorated and all the royal symbolism is found in the ribs of the vaults, with golden lilies painted on a blue background. This dazzling colour is obtained from a precious stone, lapis lazuli.
The castle is open from 21 May to 22 September from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., from 23 September to 20 May from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the Holy Chapel opens at 10 a.m. and closes 30 minutes before the monument closes, and at lunchtime between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Annual closures on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
The Château de Vincennes is located on the outskirts of Paris and can be reached by metro on line 1, station Château de Vincennes or by the RER A, station Vincennes.
Alternatively, you can take bus numbers 46, 56 and 86.
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.
Hotel 
Budget accommodations 
Apartments 
Family Hotel 
Luxury Hotel 
