Chateau de Malmaison

Josephine bought Malmaison in 1799 while Bonaparte was in Egypt, and for a period after 1800 the house served as a seat of government alongside the Tuileries. Its interiors, by Percier and Fontaine, are among the best surviving statements of the Empire style, including a council room fitted out as a military tent. Josephine's real project was the garden: she assembled what was probably the most complete rose collection in the world, importing varieties despite the war with Britain, and had Redoute paint them, work that became the foundation of modern rose iconography and of much subsequent breeding. She also kept kangaroos, emus and black swans in the park.

History

Joséphine bought the run-down manor and its nearly 150 acres in April 1799, for well over 300,000 francs, while Bonaparte was away on the Egyptian campaign, and from 1800 to 1802 it shared with the Tuileries the role of headquarters of the French government. She set out to make its garden the most beautiful and curious in Europe: in 1800 she built a heated orangery for 300 pineapples, from 1803 until her death in 1814 she grew nearly 200 plants new to France, and her collection of some 250 varieties of roses was recorded by Pierre-Joseph Redouté. Kangaroos, emus, black swans, zebras, gazelles and llamas roamed the grounds, some brought by the Baudin expedition. After her divorce Malmaison became hers outright, and in 1815 Napoleon stayed here for the last time in France, after Waterloo and before his exile to Saint Helena; in 1842 it was bought by Queen Maria Christina, widow of Ferdinand VII of Spain (Wikipedia, Château de Malmaison).

What to look for

• The Empire interiors - Percier and Fontaine rooms including the tent council room.
• The rose garden - a replanted collection recalling Josephine's originals.
• Josephine's bedchamber - the room where she died in 1814.
• The park - grounds that once held her imported animals.

When to go

April to October, with roses at their best in June; the chateau closes on Tuesdays. The garden is a large part of the visit, so weather matters.

What to expect

The current rose garden is a modern replanting, not Josephine's own. The estate is much reduced from its original extent. Access without a car involves RER plus a bus.

Nearby

La Defense lies east; Bois de Boulogne is southeast.

Key facts