Originally, it’s a medieval hunting lodge where the kings of France came to hunt deer in the Bois de Boulogne. Charles IX decided to turn it into a real château and gifted it to his sister Marguerite de Valois, also known as Queen Margot, for her marriage to Henri of Navarre. What a unique wedding gift! Louis XV later took it over and made it his personal hideaway for his favorites, with Madame de Pompadour leading the way. The château changes hands like others change hairstyles, but it always keeps its elegance.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
La Muette, a Family Affair
Even before she became the Dauphine, young Marie-Antoinette unpacked her bags at La Muette while waiting for her wedding ceremony. She would return often, and it’s even one of her favorite spots. Louis XVI, on his side, signed several edicts from this castle. In short, a lot of French history has indeed been written here.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
The Day Humanity Launched from This Garden
And here we go, because this is the moment when the Muette becomes legendary. On November 21, 1783, Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d’Arlandes climbed into a hot air balloon by the Montgolfier brothers in the garden of the château. They took off, soared to nearly 1,000 meters above Paris, flew over the city for 25 minutes, and landed at La Butte-aux-Cailles. First free human flight in the history of humanity — from this garden in the 16th arrondissement.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
Today: open bar once a year
The castle now belongs to the OECD, which has made it its Paris headquarters. The direct consequence: closed to the public 364 days a year. But once a year, for Heritage Days, the doors open. It’s the perfect time to rush in, to feel a bit royal, and to casually say, “I also visited a castle in Paris” with a proudly superior air.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram