Château de Maisons

The Château de Maisons was built in 1650 between a stretch of the Seine river on one side and the Saint-Germain-en-Laye forest on the other. Easily accessible from Paris by the suburban RER train, this remarkable building is the best-preserved work by the famous architect François Mansart. It marks an architectural turning point between the end of the late Renaissance and the beginnings of classicism.

Light of the Great Age of Louis XIV

Gone are the massive constructions inherited from the Middle Ages. For the first time, the focus of this chateau was on light. The Château de Maisons boasts large openings and a central vestibule with golden columns giving onto a grand winding staircase, a new technique at the time.

Symmetry, balance of forms, elegance in the roofing: the castle is a true architectural manifesto that foreshadowed classical art and was a strong inspiration for the Chateaux of Vaux-le-Vicomte and Versailles.

Guided Tours and Hidden Faces

Inside, you can admire 17th-century tapestries as well as paintings, engravings and furniture from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. This magnificent setting has been the backdrop for many films. Walk in the footsteps of Isabelle Adjani as Queen Margot or Uma Thurman in Dangerous Liaisons.

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