Paris is magical, but its surroundings are just as fabulous. Castles, craggy villages, secret places… Today, we’d like to introduce you to the Château de Villette, an absolutely splendid location whose sets were used in a world-famous film. Nicknamed “Little Versailles”, it’s much less crowded than the Royal Palace of Versailles… And yet, as you’ll see, it’s well worth the detour.
Château de Villette: a “mini Versailles” on the outskirts of Paris
Listed as a historic monument since 1942, Château de Villette is one of the most remarkable pieces of our heritage. Hidden in a 75-hectare wood, it was designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Louis XIV’s architect. It was partly thanks to him that the Château de Versailles came into being. Its elegant garden, typical of the French style, was designed by André Le Nôtre, famous for having created the magnificent gardens of Versailles… The estate’s nickname of “Little Versailles” was apt.
As in the home of the Sun King, the gardens feature ponds, carefully trimmed hedges and a magnificent cascading fountain. A sublime bucolic setting, which today exclusively hosts weddings, fashion shoots… and even film shoots. If you ever want to visit, you’ll need to be invited to a wedding…
A château that inspired “The Da Vinci Code
During his stay at the château, author Dan Brown was inspired to write his bestseller The Da Vinci Code. And the estate was so important to him that it was one of the settings for the film adaptation of his novel.
With its enchanting setting and perfectly maintained architecture, the château continues to host film shoots. Recently, some shots from the film The Count of Monte Cristo and the series Dynasty were filmed here. Proof that the estate continues to inspire…