If you’re visiting Paris and want to see a castle, but want something close, Chateau de Vincennes is the perfect place to visit. It’s an amazing place for families to explore and discover a fully intact medieval castle. A visit to Chateau de Vincennes is a trip into the past with tremendous atmosphere. But what all makes this castle so interesting?
A History
The origins of Chateau de Vincennes begin in 1150 with the construction of a hunting lodge. Over the years the structure was added on to and enlarged until it became the massive structure that it is today.
It has been the site of royal weddings, a prison, an arsenal, and military headquarters. Chateau de Vincennes was previously also the seat of French power. This was the case until the completion of the construction of the Palace of Versailles.
The Chateau has been abandoned at times over the years. It has even sustained significant damage in World War II during the attempt to defend France. It has since been repaired and restored to its former glory.
Why visit?
Chateau de Vincennes is a fascinating site to explore and enjoy. It’s a massive site that’s very well preserved. It gives you an idea of what it was like in medieval times. The castle is equipped with an imposing keep, drawbridge, and moat.
While the castle is empty and not fully furnished like the Palace of Versailles, it’s a very interesting place. It will capture the imagination of the whole family.
Since it is empty, it allows more freedom of movement, especially for little ones. It also helps that Chateau de Vincennes isn’t exactly high on most must-see lists in Paris. The benefit is that it usually won’t be crowded when you visit.
Though empty, the corridors, staircases, towers, and rooms are captivating as you make your way through the site.
Our visit
Our visit was very enjoyable as we were able to see a lot of the castle and its grounds. Keep in mind that the place is quite expansive and spread out. We stayed for approximately two hours and saw a lot of what we wanted to see.
Our kids enjoyed being able to wander around and explore what a real castle looks like. It was equally exciting to be able to see history in person. A castle is something the we previously had only read about and saw in history books.
With so much to see we were happy with our visit. We were able to take our time and move from room to room and floor to floor and see what we wanted. There weren’t a lot of people there and some areas did not have any people at all.
How to get there
Chateau de Vincennes is very easy to reach if you’re coming from Paris. One of the things that we loved about our trip to Paris is the fact that the metro system is extensive and easy to use. We took advantage of that and used the metro to reach Chateau de Vincennes. All you have to do is take the 1 line to the last stop conveniently named “Chateau de Vincennes”. Once you exit the metro stop, the castle is a short walk away. From where we stayed in the 17th Arrondissement it was approximately a 30-minute ride.
Tickets and other info
We purchased tickets ahead of time online but that wasn’t necessary because it’s not a highly visited site.
The cost to enter is 9.5 Euros per person and it’s free for those under 26 years of age.
Normal opening hours are 10 am to 5 pm from September 22 to May 20 and 10 am to 6 pm May 21st to September 21st.
The official website for further information and to purchase tickets is http://www.chateau-de-vincennes.fr/en/
