Vincennes, France

Take the short journey to the suburbs of eastern Paris and arrive at the impressive Château de Vincennes, a true symbol of the modern French state. Discover how this historic Château was built in the 14th-century to affirm the power of the monarchy, guarding the capital and protecting the kings against uprisings. The Château was at the heart of the French monarchy until 1682, when Louis XIV chose to settle in Versailles.  Climb the stairs into the keep, a 52-meter fortified tower which is the tallest of its kind in Europe. The keep was used as a prison from the 16th up to the 19th-century. See the rooms where Fouquet, the Marquis de Sade, and Mirabeau were held and where King Henry V died. Find out how, under Napoleon I, the building was transformed into a barracks and arsenal, and the fortress protected Paris during invasions in the 19th-century. Now, the building is considered to be a place of national remembrance, that was restored after suffering extensive damage during the Second World War. The Château de Vincennes now houses the historical services of the 3 French armed forces.