Château de Malmaison

Château de Malmaison is an 18th-century château located 15 kilometres west of Paris in Rueil-Malmaison, renowned as the residence of Napoleon I and Joséphine de Beauharnais. Purchased and enlarged by Joséphine in 1799, the castle served as the French imperial headquarters alongside the Tuileries from 1800 to 1802. Napoleon stayed at the residence between military campaigns and briefly after his 1815 defeat, while the grounds featured a celebrated rose garden housing all known rose varieties of the period. Now a national museum, the beautifully restored château showcases well-preserved interiors, extensive Empire-style furniture collections, and personal belongings of the imperial couple. The summer pavilion has been restored to its 1814 condition, and the rose garden remains a notable attraction for botany enthusiasts, making this estate a significant site for understanding Napoleonic history and heritage.