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.

What you actually see

• 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.

Honest expectations

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.