The Château de Malmaison, from residence to museum

We don't really know the origin of the name Malmaison, which means "bad house". From the occupation of the site by Norman brigands in the Middle Ages to the fact that the town was known for taking care of sick people, the mystery remains.

In 1390, Guillaume Goudet, sergeant-at-arms to Charles VI, acquired the estate, which remained in his family until 1763, through the Dauvergne, Perrot and Barentin families. In 1763, the estate passed to the son of Chancellor d'Aguesseau, then in 1771 to Jacques-Jean Le Couteulx du Molay, a wealthy banker of the kingdom. Madame du Molay held a literary salon there, where she entertained the Abbé Delille, Mme Vigée-Lebrun, Grimm and Bernardin de Saint-Pierre.

During the Revolution, Malmaison was sold and passed into the hands of Josephine Bonaparte. From 1800 to 1802, this small château, along with the Tuileries, became the seat of French government, where the Consulate's ministers frequently met. In 1802, the family moved to Saint-Cloud, and Joséphine returned regularly to the"Palais Impérial de Malmaison" to develop and enlarge the estate. After her divorce in 1809, she returned to the house, where she died in 1814.

Now transformed into a museum, the Château de Malmaison features a number of richly decorated rooms displaying a rich collection of works dating from the early days of Napoleon 1st's reign. From furniture and paintings to weapons and porcelain, this museum is a mine of discovery.

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It also allows you to enter into the life of the couple and their children thanks to the reconstitution of various rooms from the period. These include Napoleon's famous mahogany library and the oval room where Josephine lived out her days. The Musée National des Châteaux de Malmaison et de Bois-Préau also boasts an exceptional collection of memorabilia from Emperor Napoleon's exile on the island of St. Helena from 1815 to his death in 1821.

Of course, the museum also offers themed tours, allowing you to delve deeper into the history of this historic couple. In particular, you'll discover their passion for botany and roses, their original name. And don't miss the garden of old roses, a rose garden with almost 150 varieties to delight your senses.

Andrea Appiani, Napoleon's first painter in Italy: the exhibition at the Château de Bois-Préau
The Châteaux de Malmaison and Bois-Préau present "Andrea Appiani, Napoleon's first painter in Italy", an exhibition of paintings on view from March 16 to July 28, 2025. [Read more]