In 1785, the Château was purchased for Marie Antoinette as she felt that the palace would be the perfect place for her children to play away from the packed streets of Paris.įollowing the French Revolution, Josephine and Emperor Napoleon III held their Spring and Summer courts at the palace. The death of Henri III may have been widely welcomed by the people of Paris but further misfortune was to befall the domaine of Saint-Cloud. The assassination of King Henry III by the monk Jacques Clement, 16th-century engraving by Frans Hogenberg. Shortly after Henri III’s death, in Château de Saint-Cloud, Henri IV was declared King of France. It was then that he stabbed the King with a concealed knife. In 1589, Clement approached Henri III, beckoning the King forward under the pretence that he had an important message to give him. In Clement’s eyes, the King, Henri III, was a traitor to Catholicism after the French King had ordered the assassination of the Duke of Guise, a young noble with plenty of political promise. Pernelle The Death of Henri III in Parc de Saint-Cloudįor a brief period, Henri III was also elected King of Poland, at the age of just twenty-one years old, and he also held the title of Grand Duke of Lithuania for a while (you might remember that Luxembourg is the only country which remains a Grand Duchy to this day.) General view of Château de Saint-Cloud, Parc de Saint-Cloud and rest of Domaine, 17th Century, M. Destined to live a lavish life, fate had other plans for Henri III following the unfortunate death of his father. After all, he was the fourth son of Henri II and Catherine de Medici (you know, the King who was accidentally wounded by a joust, and the reason Catherine de Medici relocated the royal residence from Place des Vosges to Tuileries). Henri III, on the other hand, was never destined to be King. Deeply devoted to Catholicism, he vowed to wipe out the heretics and was referred to as ‘Captain Clement’ by his fellow colleagues and clergymen. Shortly after the château’s initial completion, in the 1580s, Henri III was assassinated here by monk Jacques Clement.Ĭlement came from a family of French farmers and was born on a date forgotten to the history books. However, the tranquility within this oasis of opulence just outside the Paris peripherique was not to last long. View of the estate of Saint Cloud by Étienne Allegrain, 17th-Century, Étienne Allegrain
The grand mansion in Saint-Cloud was called “Aulnay hotel” at this time and was one of the most opulent buildings in the entire region. Overlooking the mighty River Seine, the first castle on site was constructed a wealthy banking family from Florence. Château de Saint-Cloud was built between 15, various generations and eras adding their mark to the ever-growing building. Once upon a time, a grand French château sat in what is now space where families enjoy time together and people walk their dogs. Château de Saint-Cloud: Mystery, assassination and murder The rose garden still remains to this day and now grows flowers used at state functions. Another must-see attraction of the park Saint-Cloud is Marie-Antoinette’s rose garden.Īround the world, the French queen is remembered for her lavishly opulent lifestyle, her ‘ play-farm‘ at Versailles and is often quoted as having said: “ let them eat cake“.
One of the best things to see in Saint Cloud (that still remains to this day) is wandering around a beautifully landscaped garden by acclaimed designer André Le Nôtre.īorn in the early 1600s, other iconic designers by Le Nôtre include those at Château de Chantilly, Château de Sceaux, and Château de Fontainebleau. Wander around the landscaped gardens, enjoy a spectacular view over Paris or simply learn about the history of the place at the local museum. Today, it is a great place to enjoy a Parisian picnic or to enjoy some outdoor activities away from the bustle of busy capital city life. Parc de Saint-Cloud: One of the most beautiful gardens in EuropeĪlso known as the ‘Domaine National de Saint-Cloud’, the park covers 460 hectares and was awarded status of a historic monument in 1994.
St cloud gardens free#
Today Parc de Saint-Cloud is an oasis of green filled with oodles of history at the end of metro line 10! The park is free to visit and is one of the best green spaces in Paris. There was once a château here, there are still plenty of flower borders to be spotted and it’s the perfect place to escape the crowds of Paris.
Rows of trees, an endless maze of paths, passageways and the feeling of a never-ending summer. Last Updated on 13th February 2022 by Sophie Nadeauįar away from the glittering lights of Paris (okay, not that far, you can still see the Eiffel Tower!), you’ll find a green park hanging above the city.
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