The Château de Rambouillet

The Château de Rambouillet Review

is surrounded by a magnificent 30,000-acre forest that remains a great place for biking and walking. Most of the château dates from the early 18th century, but the brawny Tour François-Ier (François I Tower), named for the king who died here in 1547, was part of the fortified castle that stood on this site in the 14th century. Highlights include the wood-panel apartments, especially the Boudoir de la Comtesse (Countess's Dressing Room); the marble-wall Salle de Marbre (Marble Hall), dating from the Renaissance; and the Salle de Bains de Napoléon (Napoléon's Bathroom), adorned with Pompeii-style frescoes. Compared to the muscular forecourt, the château's lakeside facade is a scene of unsuspected serenity and, as flowers spill from its balconies, cheerful informality.