Château de Compiègne
Large royal and imperial neoclassical château, with the apartments of Napoleon III, the Second Empire museum and the Musée national de la Voiture.
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About the museum
King Charles V bought land in the town of Compiègne to build a château, which was almost finished at his death in 1380. The building kept a medieval appearance until the 17th century. Louis XV, who liked staying in Compiègne, commissioned a major project from his First Architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel, whose plans were approved in 1751. Under Louis XVI, the architect Le Dreux de la Châtre built the new wing overlooking the park, which Marie-Antoinette made her own.
The Revolution dispersed the furnishings in 1795. In 1807 Napoleon I ordered the château to be restored, and major decoration and furnishing work was carried out from 1808 to 1810. The apartments of the Emperor and Empress are among the most complete of the First Empire in France.
Under Napoleon III, Compiègne is inseparable from the Second Empire: every autumn, the Emperor and Empress Eugénie hosted around a hundred guests there for several weeks during the so-called “séries”. The château, the largest neoclassical château in France, is, together with Versailles and Fontainebleau, one of the country’s three great royal and imperial residences.
Today the château houses the historic apartments, the Musée du Second Empire, the Musée de l’Impératrice and the Musée national de la Voiture, as well as a park with a rose garden. It is part of the national museums and estates of Compiègne and Blérancourt.
Highlights
- Apartments of the Emperor and Empress, among the most complete of the First Empire
- Second Empire Museum with Winterhalter’s portrait of Empress Eugénie and sculptures by Carpeaux
- Musée national de la Voiture: the history of transport
- Théâtre Louis-Philippe in the former tennis court (Jeu de paume)
- Park and rose garden
Permanent exhibitions
- Appartements de l'Empereur et de l'Impératrice – Richly furnished apartments of the First and Second Empires, showing the daily life of the sovereigns.
- Musée du Second Empire – Paintings, sculptures, furniture and objets d’art evoking imperial celebrations and the life of the imperial family.
- Musée national de la Voiture – A route through the history of transport, with horse-drawn carriages, sledges, bicycles and the first automobiles.
- Founded
- 1788
- Operated by
- Musées et domaines nationaux des châteaux de Compiègne et de Blérancourt, ministère de la Culture
- Director
- Emmanuel Étienne
- Visitors per year
- approx. 113,140
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €7Holders of the large-family card, visitors paying with Chèques-Vacances, members of the École du Louvre association and of certain art-history societies |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 25 · Free for all visitors under 26. |
| Seniors | –No specific rate; free for recipients of the minimum old-age allowance (minimum vieillesse). |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree for people with a civil disability. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree for students at public universities and art schools in art history, heritage, archaeology, architecture and related disciplines. |
| Groups | –Free for groups of fewer than 18 people and for school groups, including accompanying adults. |
| Full price during exhibition periods | €10Reduced rate €9; full price €12 and reduced rate €11 for an RMN exhibition. |
| 1-hour guided talk | €5Supplement to the admission fee; reduced rate €4. |
| 2-hour guided talk | €9Supplement to the admission fee. |
| Annual pass, solo | €30Unlimited access for one year, sold at the château shop. |
| Annual pass, duo | €45Unlimited access for one year for two people, sold at the château shop. |
Free admission: First Sunday of the month, for all visitors.
The ticket gives access to the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, and to the audio guide of the grand apartments. The prices shown apply outside exhibition periods; they increase during exhibitions. Admission is also free for many categories (job seekers, minimum-income recipients, teachers with a Pass Éducation, journalists, ICOM members).
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Ramp to the ticket office and lift to the historic apartments, the Second Empire and Empress museums and the Petite Galerie. A folding wheelchair, three cane-strollers and twenty folding seats are lent subject to availability, without booking. Induction loop at reception and on the audio guides; sound amplifiers. Adapted group visits for people with intellectual, visual or hearing disabilities, including visits in French Sign Language, by reservation.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 25 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Stroller-friendly
- Kids’ birthday parties
Audio guide for 6- to 12-year-olds with young Léo and the Imperial Prince (45 minutes), activity booklets for 8- to 12-year-olds for the apartments and the park, bookable activities and birthday parties. Under-26s enter free. Pushchairs with seats are lent subject to availability.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Gare de Compiègne · 10-min walk
Free bus lines 1, 2 and 4 serve the château Monday to Saturday. Trains from Paris Gare du Nord take 40 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes depending on the train; the château is a 10-minute walk from the station.
By car
Free parking
Four free car parks nearby: one opposite the château and three near the park, 5 minutes on foot. They are very busy. No dedicated area for motorhomes.
From Paris (80 km): A1 motorway, exit 9 towards Compiègne Sud. From Lille (150 km): A1, exit 10 at Arsy.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
- Coat check
- Lockers
The Le Jardin des roses restaurant and tea room and the Le Kiosque takeaway are in the park. The bookshop is at the château entrance. Free key lockers are available. Suitcases and large bags are prohibited; ordinary bags and folding strollers go to the cloakroom after a check. Picnics are allowed under the lime-tree avenues of the park. Animals are prohibited in the château and the park.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
Up to 700 guests.
Hire is possible for cocktails, dinners, seminars or colloquia: the Salle des gardes (up to 350 people for a cocktail), the Salle des gardes with the Galerie de Bal (up to 700 for a cocktail and 650 for a dinner), antechambers and galleries.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (FR, EN, DE, JA) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography is allowed in the museum spaces and exhibitions unless otherwise indicated; flash, tripods and selfie sticks are prohibited. |
| Good to know | Multilingual audio guides at reception, included in the ticket; the château app can be downloaded free of charge. Guided talks with RMN lecturers are offered at an extra charge. Security checks at the entrance. Minors under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. |
