Compelling layers of history to uncover at the Château de Compiègne, a former royal residence, include the love story between Napoleon and Marie Louise – and a unique gift made to the Empress.
Built for Louis XV, a devotee of hunting in the surrounding forest, Compiègne’s castle was a seat of royal government. Restored by Napoleon I after the Revolution, it was the scene for extravagant week-long parties hosted by the Emperor for his guests, as well as the setting for his love story with Marie-Louise.
A tour of the royal apartments brings you to the Empress’s chamber with its view along the Percée des Beaux-Monts – an avenue stretching into the forest, created by Napoleon to remind his wife of her beloved Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, requiring the removal of 4km of trees.
