www.tourisme.monuments-nationaux.fr CHÂTEAU NEW OF VILLERS-COTTERÊTS The future International Centre for French Language (opening in 2022).
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HISTORY OF THE CASTLE o o C an a l de isn l l’ e Built at the behest of François I, the Château de Villers-Cotterêts ’ ise ise is the only Renaissance royal château in Picardy. Built between Compiègne isne Soissons 1532 and 1556 on the edge of the Forest of Retz where the king or t domaniale de Compi gne i rr o ds
loved to hunt, it was here in 1539 that he signed the Edict of Villers-Cotterêts Villers-Cotterêts, making it compulsory to use the French language r i in all official administrative and legal acts. With its prolific decor, Senlis r a ois urc a ti the imposing château rivals the most beautiful constructions parc st ri ssis i
of its time. A masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, 1 A roport A 2 Château-Thierry the chapel was the first in France to break away from the Gothic Charles-de- aulle A 4
A 104 Meaux tradition. Occupied until the Revolution by members of the royal e arne ourget a rt sous ouarr family, in particular the House of Orleans and its descendants, m PARIS the château accommodated a poorhouse from 1808, then an old people’s home in 1889, and finally a care home until 2014. Although the château has undergone numerous transformations 85 km north of Paris throughout its unusual history, it retains vestiges of its rich (45 min by train from the Gare du Nord) Renaissance decor, and its original layout and external buildings 25 km from Soissons are almost complete. INFORMATION
CHÂTEAU DE VILLERS-COTTERÊTS 1, place Aristide Briand 02600 Villers-Cotterêts www.chateau-villers-cotterets.fr
Morbi maximus ut dui a rutrum. NORTH EASTERN FRANCE HAUTS-DE-FRANCE / CHÂTEAU OF VILLERS-COTTERÊTS
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o o C an a l de isn l l’ e ’ ise ise Compiègne isne Soissons or t domaniale
de Compi gne i rr o ds Villers-Cotterêts “ciel lexical” de jour de Paume et son de la Cour du Jeu Esquisse de la verrière / CMN 2019 Weets - Olivier © Projectiles r i Senlis r a ois urc a ti THE PROJECT FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CENTER FACILITIES parc st ri ssis i FOR THE FRENCH LANGUAGE
1 A roport A 2 Château-Thierry Charles-de- aulle Auditorium A 4 In March 2018, the President of the French Republic
A 104 Meaux Gift shop e arne entrusted the Centre des monuments nationaux with creating ourget a rt sous ouarr Tea room an International Centre for French Language at the Château m PARIS de Villers-Cotterêts. The monument will open in 2022 after Cloakroom a major restoration of two buildings: the royal residence and Lavatories 85 km north of Paris the Real Tennis court. Both a historic site and a cultural and Function room rental (45 min by train from the Gare du Nord) artistic facility, the Centre will be the base for a programme 25 km from Soissons devoted entirely to the French language. It will offer visitors a permanent exhibition, a multi-disciplinary programme of INFORMATION temporary exhibitions and shows, residencies for artists, researchers and entrepreneurs, educational activities as well as French language learning and training. Although maintaining CHÂTEAU DE VILLERS-COTTERÊTS strong local roots, the Centre will be open to the world. It will 1, place Aristide Briand be accessible to all publics, from local to international: families, 02600 Villers-Cotterêts school groups, tourists, associations and professionals. www.chateau-villers-cotterets.fr
Morbi maximus ut dui a rutrum. NORTH EASTERN FRANCE Non contractual document - September 2020