Château de Villers-Cotterêts

The Château de Villers-Cotterêts is a historic French château located in the town of Villers-Cotterêts in the Aisne department, Hauts-de-France, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north-east of Paris.

It is a state property and a historic monument since 1997.

Original construction
The castle was built for Francis I of France on the edge of the Forest of Retz.

In 1539, Francis I of France signed the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts which made the use of the French language mandatory in the acts of administration and justice.

In 1661, Louis XIV granted the castle to his brother Philippe I, Duke of Orléans. It remained with the House of Orléans until the Revolution.

In 1787 Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans was exiled to the château over opposition to the May Edicts in 1787.

Revolution and aftermath
In 1790, the castle was seized as national property.

Napoleon turned it into a beggar's home, a prison and a hospice in 1808. It then became a retirement home in 1889 until the end of 2014.

21st century restoration
In 2023, following a colossal restoration campaign, president Emmanuel Macron turned the castle into the Cité Internationale de la Langue Française, dedicated to the French language.