Chateau de Compiegne

About

This royal residence was built by Louis XV, and served as one of the three seats of royal government, along with Versailles and Fontainebleau. During the French Revolution, all the chateau’s furniture was sold and its art collection sent to the Muséum Central. In the 19th century, Napoleon ordered the palace restored and brought in the greatest architects and decorators of the age to oversee the remodelling and replant the garden, making it into his version of Versailles. Today, the palace offers visitors the ability to experience three museums. The royal apartments have been fully restored with all the opulent trappings of the French monarchy. The Museum of the Second Empire is equally luxurious, focusing on Napoleon III’s vision of grandeur. Finally, the Museum of Vehicles and Tourism displays early cars, horse-drawn carriages, and steam engines. Visitors can also explore the estate’s nearly endless park, where they’ll find a rose garden, an eclectic collection of sculptures.