Castle of Malmaison

The castle of Malmaison is located on the commune of Rueil-Malmaison (Hauts-de-Seine).

The castle

The origin of the name “Malmaison” is badly known. Malmaison = " Mala domus" = bad house. One in general advances the assumption of the bad company of the places (brigands, invasion of Norman) to the Moyen-âge. The building evolves/moves then to become a small castle without ornament and claim during the 18th century.

But the castle enters the French history during the Directoire, when Joséphine de Beauharnais, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, buys it on April 21st 1799 with the Jacques-Jean banker Couteulx of Molay. Napoleon asks his architects Percier and Fontaine to renovate and redécorer the masonry with the last style. The castle will be even the heart of the French government (with Tileries) during the Consulat and Napoleon will regularly remain there until the divorce with Joséphine in 1809.

Consequently, the castle becomes the principal residence of Joséphine until its death on May 29th 1814. The Prince Eugene inherits it, and with her death its widow sells it in Jonas Hagerman in 1828. In 1842, it is the Christine queen of Spain (woman of Ferdinand VII) which acquires it and makes its residence of it. It resells Malmaison in 1861 with Napoleon III. After the War of 1870, a barracks is installed in the castle. In 1877, the State sells the field to a realtor who parcels out the major part of the park. In 1896 a rich person patron Daniel Iffla (known as Osiris) buys the castle with its park reduced to 6 ha and the offer in the State in 1904.

The castle of Malmaison is today a museum of the Meeting of the National museums, which presents the castle in its state restored under the Consulat and the First Empire. To see the room of the Council in particular, in the shape of tent, and the library. To envisage one half-day to visit it.

The park of Malmaison

With died of Joséphine, the park makes 726 hectares: it is consisted of current the

park around the castle of Malmaison
park of Small Malmaison
park and castle of Wood-Courtyard

External bonds

Official site of the Castle of Malmaison
History of the castle

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