The Château de Vincennes

The Château de Vincennes is a must-see in the Paris region. Discover a landmark of French history at the gateway to Paris, on the edge of the Bois de Vincennes.
The history of the Château de Vincennes begins in the 12th century, when King Louis VII ordered the construction of a hunting lodge in the forest of Vincennes. Under Louis IX (also known as Saint Louis), the site became an official royal residence.

By the 14th century, the château took on the appearance we recognize today. King Charles V transformed the modest lodge into a formidable fortress, surrounded by massive walls and towers, and dominated by a 52-metre (170-foot) keep — now considered the tallest medieval fortified structure in Europe. He also commissioned the construction of the Sainte-Chapelle of Vincennes in 1379, though it would not be completed until 1552, during the reign of Henry II.

In the 17th century, architect Louis Le Vau—who also worked on Versailles—built the elegant King’s and Queen’s pavilions in a classical style for the young Louis XIV, his mother, and Cardinal Mazarin. When the royal court moved permanently to Versailles in 1682, Vincennes lost its status as a royal residence.

The keep (donjon), which had already served as a prison since the 16th century, took on this role more fully in the 18th century. Among its most famous prisoners were Diderot, Latude, Mirabeau, and the infamous Marquis de Sade.

Over the following decades, various manufactories — porcelain, faience, and armaments — occupied the site. By the end of the 18th century, the château had fallen into disrepair, until the establishment of the Paris Arsenal in 1796 saved it from ruin. This new military function, however, led to major transformations: the manor of Saint Louis was demolished, some towers were levelled, and casemates were added. Vincennes became home to one of the largest military garrisons in the Paris region.

Designated a historic monument in 1913, the Château de Vincennes still reflects this dual heritage. Today, the Ministry of Culture, through the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, manages the Sainte-Chapelle and the keep, both open to the public. The Ministry of Defence oversees the rest of the site, housing the Historical Service of the French Armed Forces, which includes libraries and archives accessible to visitors and researchers alike.