Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Rambouillet, France

Located southwest of Paris, Rambouillet is closely associated with its magnificent château.

Until 2009, the estate served as a residence for Kings, Emperors, and Presidents of France.

The château is situated within splendid grounds, featuring canals and well-maintained formal gardens.

Moreover, there are a few charming follies to discover, including a dairy constructed specifically for Marie Antoinette.

The expansive forest, once a favored hunting ground for royalty, offers excellent opportunities for walking and cycling while providing habitats for red deer and wild boars.

Visitors to Rambouillet will find an abundance of activities, including animal reserves, sites imbued with royal history, quirky museums, and additional châteaux nearby.

Now, let us investigate the most notable attractions in Rambouillet:

1. Château de Rambouillet

Although the principal palace is currently undergoing refurbishment, the grounds of the Château de Rambouillet and its follies remain accessible.

It is worth stopping to capture a photograph of the building, which is rich in hundreds of years of French royal and imperial history.

You may reflect on the fact that some of history’s most influential figures have passed through these doors.

King Francis I died at the château in 1547; Napoleon and Empress Marie-Louise resided here, and it served as a summer retreat for every French president until 2009.

2. Château de Rambouillet Grounds

The grounds are impressively grand and remain open while the château is restored.

You can easily lose track of time amidst the tranquility and cultivated beauty of these gardens, first designed in 1699. Features include a parterre, avenues of linden trees adorned with statues, an extensive canal system, an English-style garden, and a medieval kitchen garden.

The optimal spot for appreciating the entire scene is on the staircase leading down to the Rondeau ornamental pond.

Here, the canals are framed by the tapis vert (green carpet), a vivid lawn stretching towards the horizon.

3. Laiterie de la Reine

Marie Antoinette was another prominent figure to inhabit Rambouillet.

She was not particularly fond of the château; therefore, in 1785, Louis XVI commissioned the construction of the Laiterie de la Reine (Queen’s Dairy) within the grounds.

This folly served as a pastoral retreat for her, akin to the Petit Trianon and Hameau de la Reine at Versailles.

The dairy is designed as a Neoclassical temple illuminated from above by a skylight, leading to a gallery that culminates in a grotto featuring a statue of Amalthea by sculptor Pierre Julien.

Marie Antoinette frequently visited to indulge in the dairy’s produce served on fine Sèvres porcelain.

4. La Chaumière aux Coquillages

Prior to Louis XVI acquiring the estate in 1783, it belonged to his cousin, the Duc de Penthièvre.

In the late 1770s, the duke commissioned a quaint cottage for his daughter, the Princesse de Lamballe, which is nestled within the English garden.

This reflects a period when the nobility embraced the allure of picturesque landscapes and rustic charm.

While the exterior is unassuming, featuring rustic walls and a thatched roof, the interior is lavishly adorned, with walls embellished in seashells and mother of pearl, arranged in Classical pilasters and alcoves.

5. Forêt de Rambouillet

The presence of the château in this location initially served to provide a lodge for Kings hunting in the royal forest adjacent to the estate.

This expansive area covers 30,000 hectares of mature oak forest, approached by kings via a star-shaped network of bridleways.

Today, it serves as a refuge to escape into nature for several hours, whether by bicycle or on foot.

The local tourist board provides suggestions for circular paths that guide visitors to waterfalls and secluded valleys.

Among the forest residents are red deer, roe deer, and wild boars, while various raptors soar above the tree canopy.

6. Espace Rambouillet

For an up-close experience with the forest’s wildlife, you may visit this animal attraction established by the Office National des Forêts within the woods.

They have devised several pathways that traverse large enclosures for deer and wild boars.

Additionally, there exists a 1.8-kilometer walking route featuring hides at intervals to enable observation of red deer and roe deer in their natural habitat.

The “Forêt des Aigles” contains an aviary housing 120 raptors from 30 species, while the “Odyssée Verte” is a suspended walkway that elevates you five meters above the forest floor without the need for a harness.

7. Bergerie Nationale

This operational farm is sure to engage the entire family for a couple of hours.

Children will be delighted by the rabbits, goats, pigs, draft horses, ducks, cows, and over 600 sheep.

From September to February, there are also lambs, while piglets and calves are produced throughout the year.

Adults may appreciate the history of the sheepfold, established by Louis XVI in 1786 to house the merino sheep he imported from Spain.

Activities abound throughout the day to familiarize children with farm routines, including grooming and milking.

Additionally, seasonal events such as sheepdog competitions and sheep-shearing festivals are hosted here.

8. Rambolitrain

If you have an interest in miniatures, this museum is sure to captivate you.

Established in 1984 by two model railway enthusiasts, it resides in an elegant Louis XIII-style mansion featuring quoins and a mansard roof.

Within these distinguished confines lies an impressive collection of over 4,000 model trains from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Running through the two floors is a functioning 1:43 miniature train network spanning 500 meters.

In the garden, a 184mm gauge miniature steam train powered by coal operates during the Festival Vapeur Vive at the beginning of October.

9. Étangs de Hollande

History, natural beauty, and outdoor activities converge in the woodland area north of Rambouillet.

Until the 17th century, this terrain was marshland, but it was transformed to create six dammed lakes.

These lakes served the purpose of irrigating the canals, fountains, and water gardens at the Palace of Versailles located several kilometers to the north.

The site’s elevation allowed for water to be channeled to Versailles using gravity alone.

Visitors can enjoy relaxing on the beach and swimming in the largest lake during the summer months.

A rental facility is available for pedalos, canoes, and bikes, along with a café and a mini-golf course.

10. Réserve Zoologique de Sauvage

Near Rambouillet lies a property previously gifted by Louis XIV to his daughter, Louise de Maisonblanche.

The Château de Sauvage is set within a 40-hectare English-style park and was reconstructed during Napoleon III’s rule in the mid-1800s.

In 1973, the estate was acquired by the Fonds International pour la Préservation de la Nature (IWPF) and is now an animal reserve.

This reserve mainly serves as an ornithological attraction, hosting more than three-quarters of its species as birds, including pelicans, peacocks, and flamingos roaming freely.

The exotic birds are housed in aviaries, while other animals, such as emus, wallabies, antelopes, and axis deer enjoy semi-freedom.

11. Palais du Roi de Rome

As you stroll down Rue du Général-de-Gaulle in the heart of Rambouillet, you will notice impressive gates leading to a cobblestone side street.

The structures found here are magnificent, hinting at the grand project intended for this site in the early 19th century.

This was to be a residence for Napoleon’s son, who held the title of King of Rome.

The palace and its administrative precinct were planned to encompass the entire Colline de Chaillot.

However, the decline of the empire prevented further development beyond a single building, which is now accessible for temporary exhibitions.

The beautiful gardens are also open to visitors every afternoon.

12. Église Saint-Lubin-et-Saint-Jean-Baptiste

This Neo-Gothic church provides insight into Rambouillet’s development in the 19th century.

The town previously had a medieval church consecrated in the 1100s; however, by the mid-1800s, it had become inadequate for the growing population.

Between 1831 and 1901, Rambouillet’s populace doubled, leading to a 1860 competition to select an architect for constructing a new church.

Anatole de Baudot, a student of renowned architect and restorer Viollet-le-Duc, won this competition.

Much of the funding came directly from Napoleon III, and the structure employed advanced materials such as cast iron and concrete.

The church also features various artistic elements, particularly in the stained glass windows created by master glassmaker Eugène Oudinot.

13. Château de Breteuil

Perched above the Chevreuse Valley, the Château de Breteuil dates back to the reign of Henri IV in the 16th century.

The elegantly refined interiors feature lacquered furniture and Gobelins tapestries.

The centerpiece of the estate is the Table d’Europe, an exquisite table inlaid with jewels, crafted by German goldsmith Johann Christian Neuber.

Additionally, it houses 50 wax figures of notable figures including Marcel Proust and Louis XVI, as well as fairy tale characters like Puss in Boots and Sleeping Beauty.

The grounds are classified as an official “jardin remarquable,” featuring geometrically designed lawns accented by stone vases and the enchanting creations of boxwood.

These intricate designs include hedged mazes, embroideries, and fascinating boxwood mosaics.

14. Hippodrome de Rambouillet

In a town with a royal and imperial heritage, it is expected that there would be a racecourse.

This trot racing venue opened in 1880, allowing visitors to engage with the “Sport of Kings” during a season spanning from March to October.

This period features nine racing events on this delightful site bordering the forest.

These races are conducted on Sundays at 13:30, making it a noteworthy opportunity for those seeking leisure activities in Rambouillet.

15. Rambouillet’s Markets

Should you find yourself in Rambouillet on a Wednesday or Saturday morning, you are in for a treat, as this is when the weekly markets are held.

These markets are a treasured institution not to be overlooked.

The Wednesday morning market features up to 30 stalls providing an array of butchers, fishmongers, and merchants selling fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as ready-to-eat items such as rotisserie chicken.

However, the main event occurs on Saturday along Rue de Gaulle and Place de la Libération.

There, approximately 100 vendors offer a variety of groceries, alongside confectionery, leather goods, flowers, and delectable street food.