Originally built in the 15th century, this fortified castle was dismantled in the 17th century by Louis the 13th and Cardinal Richelieu because its owner had dared to plot against the king and a big fortified castle only 52 miles North of Paris was too much of a threat. The ruins were later bought by Napoleon Bonaparte but it was his nephew, Napoleon III, who decided to have it rebuilt. He gave the job to the architect Viollet-le-duc (1814-1879) who was the most famous architect at the time and who here, same as for Notre-Dame, or Vézelay, re-interpretated the Middle-Ages and gave his idealized/fantasized version of it.

This fortified castle is for the big kid still inside you who once, in his imagination, wore a chain mail and attacked or defended (depending on his mood) a model version of a fortified castle. It's also a great place to bring your children and/or grandchildren.

Because it's a bit far away from Paris, it's impossible to do this tour in less than 5 hours roundtrip. But it can be combined with a gastronomical lunch at a highly competitive price + the visit of the palace of Compiegne (which is specialized in the Second Empire), or Ecouen (for the Renaissance) and/or the  Amiens cathedral (if you want to follow the gothic streak) to make it a full day (an extra 3 hours could double your pleasure, your call).