How could I live in such a gothic toadhouse? Queen Marie Antoinette’s supposed reaction to the Chateau de Rambouillet echoes through the centuries. We stand before this magnificent chateau a testament to French history. Originally a fortified manor dating back to 1368 the Chateau de Rambouillet has witnessed pivotal moments. King Francis I himself breathed his last within these walls. The imposing medieval tower still bears his name.
The chateau’s history intertwines with powerful figures. Charles d’Angennes the marquis de Rambouillet owned it during Louis XIII’s reign. Avenues extended from the chateau park into the vast Forest of Rambouillet. Over 200 square kilometers of forest remain a remnant of a once even grander woodland.
Louis XVI acquired the chateau in 1783. He sought to appease Marie Antoinette. He secretly commissioned the Laiterie de la Reine the Queen’s dairy. Its porcelain buckets mimicked wood. A marble nymph Amalthea and Jupiter’s goat adorned this neoclassical marvel. The adjoining salon featured chairs crafted by Georges Jacob.
The French Revolution transformed the chateau into national property. Its furnishings vanished. Gardens and parks fell into disrepair. Napoleon I included Rambouillet in his government-owned properties. He visited several times. His last visit was the night of June 29-30 1815 before his exile. A Pompeian-style bathroom and a balcony linking his and Marie-Louise’s apartments remain as reminders. The splendid Allée de Cyprès chauves de Louisiane a double-lined bald cypress avenue was another testament to his time here. This avenue alas succumbed to Hurricane Lothar in 1999.
The Bourbon Restoration reinstated Rambouillet into the royal properties. Charles X’s exile began here too. On August 2 1830 he signed his abdication. It took twenty minutes to convince his son Louis-Antoine to countersign. This act abandoned his claim to the throne.
Louis Philippe I initially excluded Rambouillet from his properties. Napoleon III however included it. From 1896 until 2009 it served as the summer residence of French presidents. They hosted numerous foreign dignitaries.
In August 1944 General Charles de Gaulle established headquarters here. He met General Philippe Leclerc. Leclerc’s division received orders to liberate Paris from Rambouillet. De Gaulle departed for a liberated Paris on August 25.
Throughout the 1960s foreign leaders resided here. Rambouillet hosted the first G6 summit in 1975. In 1999 it hosted Kosovo negotiations.
The Chateau de Rambouillet a symbol of French power and history continues its legacy. Its walls have witnessed kings queens emperors and presidents. It remains a significant site. Its story continues to unfold.