In 1238, there was already a medieval fortress on this site, inside which King Louis Saint built a powerful church, which is still standing today. In the 14th century, the old fortress burned down and Charles V rebuilt the castle (Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye).
In the XVI century the castle of Charles V is rebuilt in Renaissance style (but with preservation of the ancient donjon (donjon – tower)) by the famous king – Francis I . He celebrated his second wedding and spent the last years of his life here.
Mary Stuart arrives here as a six-year-old girl. The daughter-in-law of Henry II and Catherine de Medici, she will spend a whole ten years of her short life here, widowed at the age of 18 and returns to Scotland …
Here Catherine de Medici gives birth to the heirs to the throne, including Francis II, Charles IX, Henry III, Queen Margot… All the last Valois lived here, and later, the first of the Bourbons, Henry IV. The founder of the new dynasty lived here at the same time with his wife, Maria de’ Medici, and thirteen children from five lovers.
His son Louis XIII also spent a lot of time here.
Here was born Louis XIV, who adored the castle, often lived here, spared no expense to build a park and a palace where his famous beloved Madame de Montespan reigned….
It is good to walk in the park around the castle, to admire its exterior, courtyard, donjon, church… In the castle there is a museum of primitive history of France. From the park, from the balustrade, arranged in the XVII century. still Lenotre, views of the Seine and Paris …
The town itself is also interesting – with fashionable boutiques, ancient streets and tasty restaurants….
