We're smart enough to take advantage of the free monuments and museums on the first Sunday of the month. While Paris sees the opening of the Musée du Quai Branly, the Musée d'Orsay, the Arc de Triomphe and the Hôtel de la Marine, the Yvelines is not to be outdone, with many treasures waiting to be discovered.
It has to be said that the département has plenty to attract the crowds, if only for the Château de Versailles, which enchants us on every visit when the season is right (October to March). But don't forget that the 78 also abounds in other historic sites and sublime museums to discover. Some are only open free of charge on the first Sunday of the month at certain times of the year. National monuments, for example, are free on the 1st Sunday of the month only from January to March and November to December.
So, between sites closed for work or renovation and those that are never free, we point you in the right direction for this Sunday, December 1, 2024.
The Château de Versailles, the Château de Trianon and the Hameau de la Reine are all free to visit on the first Sunday of the month from November to March. Whether you're from the Paris region or just passing through, now's the time to take the plunge and discover France's most beautiful château. Discover the famous Galerie des Glaces and the royal apartments. You'll love the Rite Room, the Battle Gallery and the Trianon, in the footsteps of Marie-Antoinette and her estate. Note that during this period, access to the Parc de Versailles, the gardens and the formal gardens with their basins, is also free. To visit the château and its grounds free of charge, remember to reserve your free tickets by choosing your time slot.
From November to March inclusive, the Domaine national de Rambouillet is open to visitors free of charge on the 1st Sunday of the month. We're off to discover this place steeped in history, where you can learn more about Marie-Antoinette and the Princess of Lamballe. A princely, royal, imperial and then presidential residence, the Château de Rambouillet and its grounds are full of treasures. Don't miss the Laiterie de la Reine, the Chaumière aux coquillages and the famous Bergerie nationale.
It's one of the masterpieces of the famous architect Le Corbusier that can be seen in the Île-de-France region: the Villa Savoye was created by the master in the 1930s, at the request of Pierre and Eugénie Savoye. At the time, it was a symbol of the French architect's modernity and savoir-faire.
Maisons-Laffitte is famous for its 17th-century architecture. This masterpiece was designed by François Mansart for the de Longueil family. We're talking, of course, about Château de Maisons, a richly decorated monument bordered by a large park of over 300 hectares. Situated between the Seine and the forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, this little heritage treasure offers a magnificent setting for our strolls and discoveries.
We're off to Saint-Germain-en-Laye to discover the Musée d'Archéologie National in the heart of its historic château. This museum boasts some of the world's richest archaeological collections, tracing human life and "inventions" from the earliest times to the Merovingian era. Various temporary exhibitions enable us to learn more about our ancestors, in a fun and educational way.
The estate, the ruins of the abbey of Port-Royal des Champs and the national estate of the Granges de Port-Royal together form the national estate of Port Royal des Champs. Discover the ruins of the abbey destroyed by order of Louis XIV and the museum housed in the "Petites Ecoles" building. On the 1ᵉʳ Sunday of each month, admission to the park is free.
The Musée du Jouet, inaugurated in September 1976, is housed in the heart of the porterie of the Prieuré royal Saint-Louis. The museum houses a vast collection of nearly 14,000 objects, including 600 toys and games, offering a fascinating journey through the world of toys, from Antiquity to the present day. Dolls, cuddly toys, miniature vehicles and racetracks, board games and construction sets, scientific games, skipping ropes and figurines... Fashions come and go, technologies evolve, but children's passions remain intact. To discover the games of yesterday and today, why not take advantage of free admission every first Sunday of the month?
The Musée de l'Hôtel-Dieu houses a collection evoking several centuries of artistic creation on three levels. Located in Mantes la Jolie, just a stone's throw from the Collégiale Notre-Dame, the Musée de l'Hôtel-Dieu gives visitors the chance to discover the town's medieval past, as well as the works of artist Maximilien Luce. The museum is open free of charge on the first Sunday of every month.
The Musée Maurice Denis is a cultural nugget dedicated to the artist Maurice Denis and his contemporaries. Formerly the artist's home, this museum invites visitors on a journey back in time to discover Symbolism and Post-Impressionism. In addition to its rich collection of works, the museum stands out for its accessibility policy: it's free for under-26s and every first Sunday of the month, allowing everyone to explore the fascinating world of Denis and his peers without emptying the wallet.
Every first Sunday of the month, from October to December, the Maison de Fer offers a free 30-minute guided tour. La Maison de Fer à Poissy, an 1896 monument, is an atypical museum on the town of Poissy, to be discovered in the heart of the Parc Meissonnier. Discover its unique industrial architecture and history, and immerse yourself in the evolution of the town of Poissy.
You may not have known it, but theArboretum de Chevreloup is also open to visitors free of charge on the first Sunday of the month. The 200-hectare Arboretum de Versailles-Chèvreloup, a vast natural and landscaped area housing an exceptional collection of 2,500 plant species, is an integral part of the royal estate of Versailles. For almost a century, the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle has been developing a veritable living museum of trees. The park is open to visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last entrance around 4 p.m.
The Galerie des Carrosses, nestled in the Grande Écurie at the Château de Versailles, is open free of charge every weekend, even outside the 1ᵉʳ Sundays of the month. When visiting Versailles, it's a discovery we'd be wrong not to make. So we take the opportunity to discover these treasures.
So how about a nice free visit this Sunday, December 1, 2024?
And to find out more :
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Dates and Opening Time
On December 1, 2024
Location
National Archaeology Museum
Domaine National de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
78100 Saint Germain en Laye
Prices
Free
Recommended age
For all
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