Centre des monuments nationaux

Come and discover Pierrefonds castle near Compiègne, which was dismantled in the 17th century before being restored by the architect Viollet-le-Duc. It is an extraordinary reworking of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Follow the parapet-walk and admire the perfectly decorated imperial apartments.

Visiting Pierrefonds castle 

• A castle of dreams. Viollet-le-Duc combined archaeological reproduction and pure creativity at Pierrefonds, and it is his masterwork associating the complete defensive system of a castle fortress with lordly lodgings decorated in a way inspired by chivalric romances. The grounds are designed as an open-air fortifications museum.

• The salle des Preuses. A former courtoom, this room dedicated to the Worthies embodies the luxuries of Second Empire banquets. 

• The leadsmiths and Monduit workshops. The craftsmen working here have taken part in most of the great restoration projects of the 19th and 20th centuries. The pieces on display are duplicates of their masterpieces made for display at the Universal Exhibitions.

Understanding Pierrefonds castle 

• The Middle Ages reborn. There were plans to turn the romantic ruins at Pierrefonds bought by Napoleon I into an occasional imperial residence, but this was quickly dropped and the site was used as a museum. The monument opened to the public in 1867. 

• Decorations prefiguring Art nouveau. On the ceiling of the reception room, wooden sculptures inspired by the plant kingdom prefigure the decorative approach which reached its peak 50 years later.