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+1
I went for a day trip here with my daughter and friends. I couldn’t help but compare it to National Trust properties in the UK. The grounds are beautiful- and the house is also well restored, there’s no mistaking that. The playground which is also within the grounds is nice. However, as others have said it’s such a shame they don’t have a translation in English which could be used as you go around. I would describe my French level as OK, but I did struggle to follow some of the commentary as the guide was talking, which was frustrating as the English and French history at the house was so clearly intertwined! There isn’t a cafe or restaurant at the house so a picnic is a must if you want to stay (there is an outside crepe place if that’s your thing). The fairy tales part was interesting and unusual - I hadn’t seen anything like that before. The maze was fun. …
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Date of experience: October 2019
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There's a fine line between a serious castle presentation and outright kitsch, and Breteuil Castle balances just on it! We luckily happened to visit right before a tour of the castle started, and our guide overloaded us with useful information (in French - I didn't get all of it, but enough). The castle has period rooms of various ages, and includes life-sized mannequins that act out scenes of historical importance - though some factual liberties have been taken. This results in a series of diorama-esque scenes, my favourite being the one where a Marcel Proust representation is hanging around in a Chinese lacquer bed. The faces of these 'dolls' are done comparatively well - don't expect standardized mannequins, but attempts to add character. It's a bit 'uncanny valley', but also charming, so that works out. Another highlight was a scene where the magnificent Emilie du Chatelet was in, looking through a telescope, with a sheepishly looking Voltaire lovingly staring at her. She never did any research at the castle, nor was Voltaire ever there with her, so this is historically a bit dodgy, but nice to see nonetheless. The most impressive and weird entertainment were the cat-automata, with even a cat automatons orchestra! Also in the cellar there were some automatons, some so subtle or so repetitive that I almost felt sorry for these lifeless things. Because fairytales are an important part of the castle's history, there's a fairytale diorama in the cellar, which was very Efteling - if you've even been there you know what I mean. We didn't get to see the gardens, it was a bit chilly, and we got a visual overload of the treasures of the castle. Highly recommended!…
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Date of experience: October 2019
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I do not think that the Château is the best for non french speakers. You can only go inside to visit some rooms on a guided tour. The tour guide only spoke French. From the amount she was talking and from the attention of those on the guide she was obviously giving an excellent commentary, which we missed out on. We were given an English leaflet on the rooms but it contained very little information and no real history. There were some really good animated fairy tale tableau stories throughout the buildings which I thought were excellent and good for children but, they were only in spoken French. The gardens were lovely, with a very nice play ground for children. There were plenty of sheltered picnic benches for use. Overall I enjoyed visiting the inside of the Château. The house is beautiful and a good deal of work has gone into makings and keeping it in a high standard. For those only speaking English I do not recommend this Château. There are links to our royal family being friends and there are pictures of them with King Edward. How they were friends and why I have no idea as no one could speak English to tell us. As a side note there is limited available for food drinks (vending machine). I think the crepe bar only opens Sundays. Suggestions for the Château owners: Have English translations along side French information boards as English seems to be the most common second language at the present time. Consider using audio devices that could be used alongside the guided for non French speaking guests. The tour guides commentary could then be in a few common languages and provide a better more informative tour. The commentary guides could also include information about the various external areas and buildings, interesting commentary about the family, etc. If such devices were readily available I would have scored the visit a 4.…
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Date of experience: September 2019
1 Helpful vote
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This is a magnificent Louis XIII style castle still in the hands of the same family for 300 years. Only a small part of the castle is inhabited & the rest is open to visitors. The Interior is beautifully furnished & 50 wax figures recreate 'tableaux' of important moments in the history of the family. Our tour guide was excellent & spoke in several languages. Children will love the fairytales by Charles Perrault displayed throughout the castle. The 200 acre park with its maze & pigeon house dating from medieval times were a delight.…
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Date of experience: September 2018
1 Helpful vote
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+1
Such an amazing visit. A best palace to visit with children. Well maintained palace with beautiful garden. Worth the visit... Just mesmerising!!
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Date of experience: November 2017
1 Helpful vote
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