The Château de la Reine Blanche: royal manor and home of the Gobelin family, on guided tour

A castle in the heart of Paris? In the capital's 13th arrondissement, hidden from view, a royal manor house has been in hiding since the end of the 13th century. And you can discover it for free with guided tours this summer!

The capital abounds in curiosities, dating back to ancient times, such as the Tour Jean Sans Peur or the Arènes de Lutèce. But some are lesser-known, such as the Château de la Reine Blanche, located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, which dates back to the 13th century! This residence, a stone's throw from the Manufacture des Gobelins, is in fact a former royal manor built by Saint-Louis' widow, Queen Marguerite de Provence, on the banks of the Bièvre, a river that flowed through the heart of Paris at the time.

Before it was destroyed in 1404, his daughter Blanche de France lived there, also a widow, hence the name of the château, which may come from the fact that mourning French queens dressed in white. Subsequently, the area became known as the dyers' district, and the Gobelin family settled here in the 16th century, rebuilding a mansion and industrial buildings on the site, but keeping the old name.

In 1572, the château was sold to Michel Charpentier, who set up a cloth dyeing plant, before Jean L'Hoste made a number of architectural modifications in the following century. A far cry from the royal residence, the site was successively a brewery, a tilery, a tannery, and the haunt of a Jacobin club. Although the tower pavilion was destroyed during the Paris Commune, it was later rebuilt identically.

Built of ashlar, the residence features mullioned windows, a main building with canted turrets, two spiral staircases, vaulted cellars and a courtyard of honor accessed via a carriage entrance surmounted by an arcaded gallery. This is the château as we know it today, dating from the Renaissance period, with superb architecture, linked to the Reine Blanche block of historic buildings.

Classified as a Historic Monument in 1980, the building was restored in 2002, becoming a home, and its exteriors and one of the spiral towers, a true architectural feat, can be visited during the Heritage Days. This year, free guided tours are organized from Tuesday to Sunday, from July 2 to 28, and from August 20 to September 8, 2024, at 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm, every day.

All you have to do is go to the gates at the times and on the days indicated to take advantage!