# Château de Vincennes, Paris > The Château de Vincennes is a medieval royal residence on the eastern edge of Paris, by the Bois de Vincennes. Its pride is a 50-metre keep completed in 1370, the tallest medieval tower of its kind in Europe. Inside survive Charles V's rooms with a blue vault scattered with golden fleurs-de-lis. The courtyard holds a Gothic Sainte-Chapelle with 16th-century stained glass, ringed by towered walls and a deep moat. It's easy to reach by metro; the courtyard is open, and the keep and chapel are ticketed. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/chateau-de-vincennes - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Ticket for the keep and chapel - Hours: Daily by day, longer in summer - Keep: 50 m, 1369–1370 - Walls: 330 × 175 m, moat and towers - Duration: ≈ 1.5–2 hours - Location: Vincennes, metro Château de Vincennes - Coordinates: 48.84278, 2.43583 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **50 m** — height of the keep (source: English Wikipedia) - **1370** — the keep was completed (source: English Wikipedia) - **1552** — the Sainte-Chapelle was finished (source: English Wikipedia) - **2.5 km** — of iron ties in the tower walls (source: English Wikipedia) ## About the Château de Vincennes The Château de Vincennes stands on the eastern edge of Paris, in the town of Vincennes, beside the great Bois de Vincennes. **Louis VII** established the first royal residence here in 1178, drawn by the hunting. Louis IX, Saint Louis, came especially often. In the 14th century Kings **John II** and **Charles V** turned the hunting lodge into a mighty fortress with a huge keep and high walls, a secure residence close to the capital. Later, under Louis XIV, the architect Louis Le Vau built the classical King's and Queen's Pavilions in the courtyard. Today it is one of the finest examples of medieval architecture in France. ## What to see - **The keep** — a 50-metre 14th-century tower. - **Charles V's rooms** — a blue vault with golden fleurs-de-lis. - **The Sainte-Chapelle of Vincennes** — a Gothic chapel with stained glass. - **The curtain wall** — walls, towers and moat. - **The King's and Queen's Pavilions** — Louis Le Vau's classicism. - **The Bois de Vincennes** — lakes, boats and avenues nearby. ## The keep The heart of the castle is the **keep**, completed in **1369–1370**. At **50 metres**, it is the tallest medieval tower of its type in Europe. Round turrets of the same height stand at its corners, and walls several metres thick are bound with over **2.5 kilometres** of iron ties, one of the first known examples of reinforced masonry. Inside are eight floors of large vaulted rooms resting on central columns. The king's council met on the first floor, and the second held **Charles V's rooms**, where a vault painted with golden fleurs-de-lis and coats of arms on blue survives, along with oak panelling cut in 1367–1371. Climbing the spiral stairs and looking out over the forest and Paris is an experience in itself. > **How to visit** The courtyard is free to wander, while the keep and Sainte-Chapelle need a ticket, sold on site or on the national monuments website. Come in the morning to climb the tower in peace. Some buildings are occupied by institutions and stay closed. The keep has many steps and isn't suitable for pushchairs. Entry is usually free for under-18s and EU residents under 26. ## The Sainte-Chapelle of Vincennes In the courtyard stands the royal chapel, the **Sainte-Chapelle of Vincennes**, modelled on the famous [Sainte-Chapelle](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/sainte-chapelle) on the Île de la Cité but on a single level. Charles V began it in **1379**, and it was only finished in **1552** under Henry II, who added the woodwork and superb stained glass. Its Gothic façade of delicate stone tracery and tall windows of Renaissance glass make it one of the most beautiful chapels in France. In the 19th century it was restored by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, known for his work on Notre-Dame. ## The walls and courtyard A rectangular **curtain wall** of 330 by 175 metres, more than a kilometre round, surrounds the castle, lined with towers and gates, with a deep stone-lined **moat** outside. The towers once stood as tall as the keep, but in the 19th century they were cut down to the height of the walls. Inside is a spacious courtyard: on one side the keep rises behind its own wall with watch turrets, on the other stand the classical 17th-century King's and Queen's Pavilions. Together they show how a medieval fortress gradually became a palace. ## The Bois de Vincennes South and east of the castle begins the **Bois de Vincennes**, the largest park in Paris. Napoleon III created it on the model of the Bois de Boulogne and handed it to the city in 1860. It has lakes with rowing boats, the Parc Floral, a botanical garden, cycle paths and a zoo. After the castle, stroll to Lac Daumesnil or Lac des Minimes, hire a boat or picnic on the grass. It makes a good half-day with children when you want a break from city museums. ## How to get there 1. Metro line 1 to the terminus **Château de Vincennes**, exiting by the castle. 2. RER A to **Vincennes**, a 5-minute walk. 3. From the Louvre, about 25 minutes on metro line 1 with no changes. 4. The entrance is on Avenue de Paris, across the bridge over the moat. ## Tips for your visit Allow an hour and a half to two hours for the castle: the keep climb, the chapel and a walk round the courtyard. With time to spare, head into the Bois de Vincennes; Lac Daumesnil is about 20 minutes' walk. The castle suits children well: the tall tower, moat and thick walls look like a real knight's fortress. Wear comfortable shoes, as the keep stairs are steep. It's one of the easiest trips beyond the centre: the same metro line that serves the Louvre and the [Champs-Élysées](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champs-elysees) brings you right to the gates. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Buy a ticket for the keep - [ ] See the fleur-de-lis vault - [ ] Step into the Sainte-Chapelle of Vincennes - [ ] Walk round the moat - [ ] Reach a lake in the Bois de Vincennes ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [The Louvre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/louvre) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h 30 min · Timed ticket, online - [Hôtel de Ville](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/hotel-de-ville) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Square free, halls by tour - [Palais Garnier](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/opera-garnier) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 15 min · Visit ticket for the building - [Palais-Royal](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/palais-royal) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Garden and courtyard free - [Palace of Versailles](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/versailles) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 6 h · Timed ticket, online - [Château de Vincennes](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/chateau-de-vincennes) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Ticket for the keep and chapel - [Palace of Fontainebleau](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/fontainebleau) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Palace ticket, gardens free ## Don't mix it up The Sainte-Chapelle of Vincennes is the chapel in the castle on the city's edge; the Sainte-Chapelle on the Île de la Cité is the famous two-level stained-glass chapel in central Paris. ## Tips - Metro 1 to the gates. - The keep in the morning. - Shoes for the stairs. - Then the forest. ## Questions ### How much is entry to the Château de Vincennes? The courtyard is free; the keep and chapel are ticketed, with prices on the national monuments website. ### How tall is the keep? 50 metres. ### How long do I need at the castle? About an hour and a half to two hours. ### Is it good with children? Yes, though the keep stairs are steep, so leave the pushchair. ### How do I get to the Château de Vincennes? By metro line 1 to the Château de Vincennes terminus. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Prices, hours and free-entry rules weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Château de Vincennes - French national monuments website, chateau-de-vincennes.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.