Does anyone know which part of the chateau is closed for renovations? One website says it is "the keep" - are there other interior parts that can still be visited? If one cannot tour inside, is it still interesting enough to just go walk around..? I've emailed the Paris Tourist Office, but maybe one of you knows. Thanks!

I took the tour about 2 years ago. The keep was closed then also. I thought the restoration was supposed to be completed by now.<BR><BR>Except for a visit to the church, the tour I took was all outside. It was an interesting walk, but would have been even more interesting if I had understood any of it. The guide spoke only in French. I remember being given a pamphlet written in English, but it was not very helpful. <BR><BR>The area is interesting to see, so I did not regret the visit. I plan to return when the restoration is complete.

Thanks, Joyce, for your response. We'll keep it on the agenda for an outing.

Was there last month. No problem walking around outside. Chapel is open to tours only. Did not go due to timing. Not too much to see from the outside but did walk all around. From our conversations with the nice folks in the office the only inside building open seems to be the Chapel and there is restoration going on there too.

Thanks for your input, too, Paul.. we'll probably go on out and have a look around, just not expect to stay a long spell.

We were there in 1999 and the keep (the big tower in the middle) was engulfed in scaffolding. The notices said it was a 5-year restoration. A significant number of stone blockes appeared to be replaced by concrete, so it could easily be a long job.<BR>The two "Chateau" buildings (King's and Queen's palaces?) were still being used by the military (the army base was just east of the fort)and not open; you could walk the grounds, but other than the chapel, not much was open. You could then walk the gardens and woods (Bois de Vincennes) to the rowboat pond, a 2-mile or so walk. Rent a rowboat, chase the ducks...

OK, well what about bicycles? Is there a rental stand in this immediate area (I don't have much interest in renting within Paris-proper).