City: Ile-de-France
Top Things to do in Ile-de-France
Top Hotels in Ile-de-France
Countries
Top 10 Castles in Ile-de-France, France
Île-de-France (English: /ˌiːl də ˈfrɑːns/, French: [il də fʁɑ̃s] ( listen), "Island of France"), also known as the région parisienne ("Parisian Region"), is one of the 18 regions of France and includes the city of Paris. It covers 12,012 square kilometres (4,638 square miles) and has its own regional council and president. It has a population of 12,005,077 as of January 2014, equivalent to 18.2% of the population of France.
Restaurants in Ile-de-France
1. Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,441 reviews
Vaux le Vicomte is the creation of three men brought together by Nicolas Fouquet, Louis 14th's finance minister, the landcape architect Andre le Nôtre, the architect Louis le Vau and the painter-decorator Charles le Brun. The perfect harmony between architecture and landscape is the result of their collaborative genius. From its unveiling at the famous fête of august 17th, 1661, Vaux le Vicomte aroused the envy of the Sun King and became the model that inspired the whole of Europe, including Versailles.Vaux le Vicomte can be visited during the day or at night with 2000 candles (on Saturdays from may to beginning of october)Easy access by train or by bus from paris.
Reviewed By dbcof58 - Hastings on Hudson, United States
Breathtaking chateau SE of Paris reached by train and free bus.Finished in 1661 by architect Fouquet in Louis IV style, it blends magnificent landscaping and interior design with the classic architecture. An audible tour is available and worthwhile. Most of the chateau including the top tower and the ornately decorated rooms can be accessed. Much of chateau at Versailles was copied from here. There were not too many visitors when we went. A quaint little cafe and a tempting shop are also available.
2. The Trianons & The Hamlet
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,981 reviews
Reviewed By chrislN392IZ - Sumter, United States
The Grande Trianon was a stunning “little” house that is worth visiting while at the Palace of Versailles. You can walk there, rent a golf cart, rent a Segway, even run there if you choose. This place has a very homey feel, like you could picture yourself sitting there enjoying a book and some coffee. Well worth the visit.
3. Chateau de Fontainebleau
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,411 reviews
With over 1500 rooms at the heart of 130 acres of parkland and gardens, Fontainebleau is the only royal and imperial château to have been continuously inhabited for seven centuries. A visit to Fontainebleau opens up an unparalleled view of French history, art history and architecture.
Reviewed By Ivisitedtheplace - Israel, null
I visited this place... with my wife, Mrs. H. It was her choice and decision to come here- full disclosure: I’m not sure that I remembered or knew anything about this place from my knowledge of French history. We had been to Versailles in 1982 and I had read on TripAdvisor (hey-is there anything else that I do?) about the crowds and lines at the other place, so this became our destination. The palace is included in the Paris Museum Pass and the entire round trip journey is included in the weekly Navigo Decouverte pass. Total extra cost then for this excursion: zero zip zilch effes. As you know from reading my previous review, we departed from Gare de Lyon. Our train was cancelled and delayed, so we had some extra 30 minutes of waiting time (and you can see my photos of that to know what I did and saw during that time). So we took the 40 minute train journey and the city bus (passing a sign regarding a historic synagogue that we did not visit). The mansion boasts 1500 rooms and it is obvious that only a section is in use for exhibition. Mrs. H and I had a disagreement as to whether we visited either forty or fifty rooms. At the entrance, there are key pad lockers to store your stuff- be sure to do that- it makes the wandering quite bearable. Now overall, the place and the palace and the building and all the rooms and all the amazing stuff on display are quite remarkable. But the lighting leaves quite a lot to be desired- maybe the goal is the actual illumination during the days and era when the place was in active royal use. As is known and as is stated in my headline for this review, this was the famous and beloved and very frequented palace and royal residence of the one and only Napoleon Bonaparte himself (see my reviews and photos of the magnificent painting of his coronation in my Louvre review and my comments and photos of his sarcophagus and tomb in my Musée de l’Invalides review- both submitted within the last month or so (December 2019). Anyway- being a person quite interested in history and who simply loves and craves being in historical places, this visit was outstanding and amazing and breath taking- primarily because- and I admit- I didn’t know what I was going to be seeing. So now I am about to ruin the shock value for you- read on, my friend. The rooms and the stuff in them were amazing and unbelievable. To chance upon an amazing historical piece that I did not expect- so exciting and incredible- leaving me almost breathless- and here are four of the things: Napoleon’s original tri cornered hat!! What’s more incredible than that? I spent some time posing for many selfies with that hat prompted squarely on my patê (you can see his hat in my attached photos, but don’t look for me in my photos submitted here though). And then his guest rooms and the bedroom and baby cradle of his beloved son, and stuff of his wife and then- so amazing and what a fantastic surprise- his throne room with his throne chair, his bedroom with his small bed (hey- Wikipedia says that he was 160 centimeters- not so bad), and then the document room, where he resigned before going into exile. All of this and more were amazing- causing Mrs. H to start sending me WhatsApp messages again, to extract me (just as she had needed to do in the three Monet museums of Marmottan, d’ Orsay and L’Orangerie). Once she succeeded in forcibly extracting me from reveling at being in the very presence and location of iconic Napoleonic history, we went outside to the top of the gardens and lake. Yes- we saw the rowboats. After that, we departed. So please sign up follow me on TripAdvisor to see of my continuing Paris adventures. So please enjoy my many photos showing what I’ve described. And hey- doesn’t this very extensive and detailed review deserve a “like” from you?
4. Chateau de Malmaison
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 647 reviews
Reviewed By Deluxpinion - New York City, United States
The chateau is actually more like a mansion, it’s impressive and looks chateau-like but it’s small and intimate in the inside. The colors have been brought back to the originals in a recent restauration and it looks great. I went specifically to view how it looks now after not having visited in many years but also they were having an exhibit on Contemporary American artist Kehinde Wiley in conversation with the famous Jacques Louis David that recorded all the major events of the Napoleonic monarchy in heroic sized canvases. The viewing if Kehinde’s take on Napoleon crossing the Alps in front of the David Masterpiece made the visit worth it, there was also a most interesting video featuring the artist explaining his atttaction for heroic historical painting. The rooms are still bearing witness to the unique elegance and gracefulness that made empress Josephine the taste maker for her time. Relaxed beauty is the best way to describe it and the simplicity of the furniture, the great fabric treatments, the details in the refined ormolu fittings all recalling the style of the ancients and particularly the influence of Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign on the decorative arts. It is a must see for designers or any one interested in good classical decor; but also for those interested in the First Empire. Some of the best paintings you’ve seen in book illustrations are here, and the rooms are packed with personal items from Napoleon and Josephine as well as Prince Eugene.
5. Chateau de St-Germain
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 437 reviews
Reviewed By LIKAYLA - Topanga, United States
We made an unplanned trip to Saint-Germain as my son's best friends happened to be in Paris for the World Cup finals. Their father was born and raised in Saint-Germain, so we spent the day there at his parent's home, after vising Versailles in the morning. It's a lovely town outside of Paris and is the birthplace of Louis XIV! It's built on a hill with beautiful views down toward Paris. If you're looking to get out of the city and experiencing a bit of the country, this is a great destination that's easily accessible by RER (the metro that travels outside of Paris City Centre).
6. Chateau de Breteuil
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 407 reviews
Reviewed By 67tanyab - Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
Amazing private chateau which has the same owners for more 300 years. Enormous territory which well-maintained. There you can find place for the picnic with a tables and benches with a playground nearby, tree mosaic, labyrinthe, flower garden, fontaine with sculptures and etc. Lot's interactive installations about fairy tales of Charles Perrault which will be very interesting both for children and parents. Nice location for a wedding and photo shooting.
7. Domaine of Villarceaux
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 129 reviews
Reviewed By p0ly0lbi0na - Oxford, United Kingdom
A beautiful location with intriguing architecture from several periods and superb terraced gardens with water parterre. Probably best to wander round by yourself if possible we took the guided tour which was both exhaustive and exhausting and could have down without the long hot climb up to the later eighteenth century chateau. Still the views were good and our guide very informative with a strong accent on the modern uses to which the land is being put with good environmental principles.
8. Chateau De Courances
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 143 reviews
Courances - A unique place in France. 5 centuries of garden History within one hour from Paris
9. Maison de Chateaubriand
10. Chateau de Chamarande
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