Musée du château de Dourdan

About the museum

The castle of Dourdan was completed around 1222 by Philip Augustus, who wanted to protect the south of the royal domain and the grain road of the Beauce. It is one of the few 13th-century buildings in the Île-de-France to have kept most of its structures. After the siege of 1591, the fortress lost its upper parts and its military role. Under Philippe d’Orléans, brother of Louis XIV, it became a prison, serving as a departmental prison during the Revolution and as a place of detention until 1852.

In 1743, a salt store was built against the north curtain wall, on the site of a medieval dwelling. In 1852, the local notable Amédée Guénée bought the castle to save it from ruin and turned the courtyard into a garden. Joseph Guyot, a history enthusiast who became its owner in 1864, fitted out the house in a neo-Gothic style inspired by Viollet-le-Duc. His daughter Elisabeth sold the castle to the town in 1961 under a life annuity (viager), and the town became the owner in 1969.

From the 1960s onward, the private house was gradually turned into a museum by the notary Jean Chanson, with the help of the Friends of the Castle association. The institution became a municipal museum under state control in 1975, received its first curator in 1977, and has held the Musée de France label since 2003. Its collections cover archaeology, ceramics, painting, sculpture and the history of Dourdan.

Highlights

• 13th-century fortress of Philip Augustus and its keep
• House-museum decorated in neo-Gothic style by Joseph Guyot
• Interpretation trail of 22 panels within the enclosure
• Glass panels showing the vanished keep and royal lodging
• Collections of archaeology, ceramics, painting and local history

Permanent exhibitions

• Le château fort de Philippe Auguste – Visit of the early 13th-century fortress, its keep and enclosure, with an illustrated interpretation trail.
• La maison-musée – The former salt store, now Joseph Guyot’s neo-Gothic house, presents the museum’s collections on three levels.

Operated by

Ville de Dourdan

Admission & discounts

Free admission: On the national days organized by the State in which the museum takes part.

Tickets sold on site only; no reservation for individual visitors. Preferential rate (full price €2, reduced €1) for residents of Dourdan upon proof of address, municipal employees and people with disabilities. Free admission, with proof, for Friends of the Castle, students of art history, history or architecture, members of the Caisse des monuments nationaux, licensed guides, journalists, teachers and members of the Point Jeunes.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Induction loop at the reception. The museum has 4 staircases with 60 steps in total; the keep has 2 staircases of 40 steps each. Animals are not admitted, except guide dogs and assistance dogs.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Children’s workshop at €6, a discovery trail for children to download and print, and texts adapted for younger visitors on the outdoor panels. Strollers must be left at the cloakroom.

Getting there & parking

By car: National Road 20, exit Arpajon Nord, or motorway A10, exit 10 Dourdan, then toward the town center.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check

Bookshop with items about the castle and the town, exhibition catalogs and children’s books. Cloakroom at the reception for backpacks, strollers and baby carriers with metal frames. Suitcases are not accepted; bags up to 55 x 35 x 20 cm are checked and left at reception.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit