Château de Pierrefonds

The place

The Château de Pierrefonds is an impressive fortress located in Oise, Picardy, at the heart of the commune of Pierrefonds. Built at the end of the 14th century (around 1397) for Louis d'Orléans, brother of King Charles VI, it was designed as a stronghold defending the outskirts of Paris. Dismantled by order of Richelieu after a siege in 1617, it remained in ruins for over two centuries, becoming in the 19th century a 'romantic ruin' much sought after. From 1857, Napoleon III entrusted its restoration to architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who created a very personal reinterpretation of medieval architecture, resembling more of an idealized reconstruction than faithful restoration; the construction was interrupted in 1885, leaving some facilities unfinished. Today, owned by the State and managed by the Centre des monuments nationaux, the building is a major example of neo-medieval architecture and an emblematic testimony to Viollet-le-Duc's vision.