Rambouillet (, , ) is a

subprefecture A subprefecture is an administrative division of a country that is below prefecture or province. Albania There are twelve Counties of Albania, Albanian counties or prefectures, each of which is divided into several Districts of Albania, district ...

of the

Yvelines Yvelines () is a department in the western part of the Île-de-France region in Northern France. In 2019, it had a population of 1,448,207.department in the

Île-de-France The Île-de-France (; ; ) is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France, with an official estimated population of 12,271,794 residents on 1 January 2023. Centered on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the cou ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. It is located beyond the outskirts of

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, southwest of its

centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...

. In 2018, the commune had a population of 26,933. Rambouillet lies on the edge of the vast Forest of Rambouillet (''Forêt de Rambouillet'' or ''Forêt de l'Yveline''); it is famous for its historical castle, the

Château de Rambouillet The Château de Rambouillet (), also known in English as the Castle of Rambouillet, is a château in the town of Rambouillet, Yvelines department, in the region in northern France, southwest of Paris. It was the summer residence of the Presi ...

, which hosted several international summits. Due to its proximity to Paris and

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...

, Rambouillet has long been an occasional seat of government.

Population

Transport

Rambouillet is served by the

SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...

Rambouillet railway station on the Transilien Line N suburban rail line, and on the regional line to

Chartres Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...

and

Le Mans Le Mans (; ) is a Communes of France, city in Northwestern France on the Sarthe (river), Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the Provinces of France, province of Maine (province), Maine, it is now the capital of ...

Features

*The

, a former medieval fortress, was acquired by

Louis XVI of France Louis XVI (Louis-Auguste; ; 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. The son of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), Louis, Dauphin of France (son and heir- ...

in 1783 as a private residence because of its ideal situation in the game-rich forest of Rambouillet. It became a '' bien national'' during the French Revolution of 1789, and one of the imperial residences of

Napoléon I Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

during the

First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

. At the time of the Bourbon Restoration, the castle became a royal residence, and it is there that

Charles X Charles X may refer to: * Charles X of France (1757–1836) * Charles X Gustav (1622–1660), King of Sweden * Charles, Cardinal de Bourbon (1523–1590), recognized as Charles X of France but renounced the royal title See also * * King Charle ...

signed his abdication on 2 August 1830. Sometimes neglected at times of political unrest, the château de Rambouillet became the official summer residence of the French President of the Republic after President Félix Faure chose it as summer residence for himself and his family in 1896; Rambouillet thus became the official summer residence of the Presidents of the Third Republic and has retained its position ever since. *The Palace of the King of Rome. In 1784, on a parcel adjacent to the gardens of the castle, Louis XVI had ordered the construction of the ''Hôtel du Gouvernement'', which was restored during the reign of Napoléon I, and renamed ''Palais du Roi de Rome'' as the official Rambouillet residence of Napoleon's infant son

Napoleon II Napoleon II (Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte; 20 March 181122 July 1832) was the disputed Emperor of the French for a few weeks in 1815. He was the son of Emperor Napoleon I and Empress Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, Marie Louise, d ...

. Its entrance is situated in the rue Charles de Gaulle, Rambouillet's main street. *The Hôtel de Ville, the former ''Bailliage'' (Bailiwicks building) was built in 1786 at the request of Louis XVI by the architect Jacques-Jean Thévenin. It was given by Napoléon I to the inhabitants of Rambouillet to serve as their City Hall. The inscription over the doors of the City Hall reads "Donated to the inhabitants of Rambouillet by Napoleon the Great, n theYear 1809". *The new Saint-Lubin church was built between 1868 and 1871. Its architect was

Anatole de Baudot Joseph-Eugène-Anatole de Baudot (14 October 1834 – 28 February 1915) was a French architect and a pioneer of reinforced-concrete construction. He was a prolific author, architect for diocesan buildings, architect for historical monuments, a ...

, a student of

Eugène Viollet-le-Duc Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (; 27 January 181417 September 1879) was a French architect and author, famous for his restoration of the most prominent medieval landmarks in France. His major restoration projects included Notre-Dame de Paris, ...

. *The Bergerie nationale was built on the grounds of the Domain of Rambouillet at the request of Louis XVI, and is the home of the Rambouillet Merino sheep since 1786. *The Laiterie de la Reine, the ''Queen's Dairy'' also built on the grounds of the Domain of Rambouillet, is adjacent to the Bergerie. It was built in 1787 at the request of Louis XVI for his wife

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette (; ; Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last List of French royal consorts, queen of France before the French Revolution and the establishment of the French First Republic. She was the ...

and designed by the architect Jean-Jacques Thévenin. *The Chaumière des coquillages, a thatched-roof cottage with its marble interior decorated with shells and mother of pearl, was built in 1779–1780 in the English garden of the Domain of Rambouillet by Claude-Martin Goupy, the architect of the '' duc de Penthièvre'', for the '' princesse de Lamballe'', Penthièvre's widowed daughter-in-law. *The Musée Rambolitrain, situated across from the Saint-Lubin church, is a museum featuring miniature trains. We find a faithful reconstruction of a Parisian toy store of the 1930s. *The Médiathèque La Lanterne, situated across from the Saint-Lubin church and the Musée Rambolitrain, is a media library and a concert hall
Link
*The Monument Américain (''The American Eagle Monument''), is situated at the south entrance of the town on the D 906 road to Chartres, at the site of two ambushes in which seven American soldiers were killed, on 16 August 1944. The monument was erected in 1947. It bears the inscription: ''"À la mémoire des soldats américains tombés pour la libération de notre région en août 1944"'', "In memory of the American soldiers fallen for the liberation of our region in August 1944". The names of nine American soldiers are inscribed on a plaque on the monument. Commemorative ceremonies are held at the monument every 19 August.

Notable people

;who were born in Rambouillet: * Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, ''duc de Penthièvre'', grandson of

Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

* Ulysse Chevalier (1841–1923),

bibliographer Bibliography (from and ), as a discipline, is traditionally the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology (from ). English author and bibliographer John Carter describes ''bibliograph ...

and

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

* Robert Benoist (1895–1944),

Grand Prix motor racing Grand Prix motor racing, a form of motorsport competition, has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as early as 1894. It quickly evolved from simple road races from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and ...

driver and war hero * Jérémie Aliadière, former

Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...

football player, now with

FC Lorient Football Club Lorient Bretagne Sud (;), commonly referred to as FC Lorient (), is a French professional association football club based in Lorient, Brittany. The club was founded in 1926 and currently competes in Ligue 2, having been relegated f ...

;who lived in Rambouillet: * François Ier, king of France, died at the castle, supposedly in the tower * Charles de Sainte-Maure, duc de Montausier and his wife Julie d'Angennes, the daughter of Charles d'Angennes and Catherine de Vivonne * Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse, legitimated son of

and the Marquise de Montespan, and father of the ''duc de Penthièvre'' * Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, ''duc de Penthièvre'', grandson of Louis XIV, and son of the ''comte de Toulouse'' * Maria Teresa d'Este, wife of the ''duc de Penthièvre'', died in childbirth * Princesse de Lamballe, duc de Penthièvre's daughter-in-law, killed in the September massacres of 1792 during the French Revolution *

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

, Emperor of the French *

, king of France, who signed his 1830 abdication in the castle * G. Lenotre, French author and historian *

Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway ( ; July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Known for an economical, understated style that influenced later 20th-century writers, he has been romanticized fo ...

, American writer and journalist, lived a few days in Rambouillet in August 1944 *

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...

* Sébastien Faure, Anarchist activist and pedagogue, who set up La Ruche ("The Beehive") free school near Rambouillet in 1904 *

Didier Pironi Didier Joseph Louis Pironi (26 March 1952 – 23 August 1987) was a French racing driver and offshore powerboat racing, offshore powerboat racer, who competed in Formula One from to . Pironi was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Cham ...

, Professional racing driver * Gérard Larcher, former mayor of Rambouillet, Senator of the Yvelines, President of the Senate (reelected in October 2017), and several times minister * Jacqueline Thome-Patenôtre, Politician, member of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

for Seine-et-Oise and later Yvelines from 1958 to 1973. She was also Mayor of Rambouillet from 1947 to 1983. ;who died in Rambouillet: * François Ier, king of France, died in castle in 1547 * Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, comte de Toulouse, son of Louis XIV and father of the ''duc de Penthièvre'', died in castle in 1737 * Maria Teresa d'Este, wife of the ''duc de Penthièvre'', died in childbirth in castle in 1754 * Germaine Coty, ''née'' Corblet, wife of French president

René Coty Gustave Jules René Coty (; 20 March 188222 November 1962) was President of France from 1954 to 1959. He was the second and last president of the Fourth French Republic. Early life and politics René Coty was born in Le Havre and studied at th ...

, died at the ''château de Rambouillet'' on 12 November 1955 * Georges Wilson, French film and television actor and director, died at the Rambouillet hospital on 3 February 2010.

Education

Schools in the commune include: * Eight pre-schools (''écoles maternelles''): Arbouville, Bel-Air, Clairbois, du Centre, Les Jardins, la Gommerie, de La Louvière, and La Ruche * Seven elementary schools: Arbouville, Clairbois, Gambetta, La Louvière, La Prairie, Saint Hubert, and Vieil Orme * Three junior high schools: Collège Catherine de Vivonne, Collège Le Racinay, and Collège Le RondeauLes Collèges à Rambouillet
" Rambouillet. Retrieved on September 4, 2016. * Lycée Louis Bascan, a public senior high school/sixth-form collegeLes Lycées à Rambouillet
" Rambouillet. Retrieved on September 4, 2016. Private schools include: * Institution Sainte Thérèse, which includes pre-school, elementary,Les écoles privées
" Rambouillet. Retrieved on September 4, 2016. junior high, and high school * École Jacinthe et François (private elementary school) * Collège Saint Jean Bosco (private junior high school) Universities: * University Institute of Technology of Vélizy *

Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (, ; UVSQ), also known as Paris-Saclay University (), is a French public university created in 1991, located in the Departments of France, department of Yvelines and, since 2002, in Hauts-de-Sein ...

International relations

Rambouillet is twinned with: *

Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth ( ), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside resort, seaside town which gives its name to the wider Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. Its fishing industry, m ...

, England, United Kingdom (1956) *

Kirchheim unter Teck Kirchheim unter Teck (, ; Swabian German, Swabian: ''Kircha'') is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, in the Esslingen (district), district of Esslingen. It is located on the small river Lauter (Neckar), Lauter, a tributary of the Neckar. It i ...

, Germany *

Torres Novas Torres Novas () is a Portugal, Portuguese Concelho, municipality in the district of Santarém (district), Santarém, in the Médio Tejo Subregion, Médio Tejo of the Oeste e Vale do Tejo region. The population of the municipality was approximately ...

, Portugal * Waterloo, Belgium *

Zafra Zafra (; ) is a town in the Province of Badajoz (Extremadura, Spain), and the capital of the comarca of Zafra - Río Bodión. It has a population of 16,677, according to the 2011 census. Zafra is the hometown of Fray Ruy Lopez, author of one of ...

, Spain

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Communes of Yvelines Napoleon II