Domaine National de Saint-cloud

A Balcony Overlooking Paris Overlooking the Seine and offering one of the most beautiful panoramas of the capital, the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud is a site steeped in rare historical significance. Although its château, the summer residence of the sovereigns and the birthplace of Napoleon I's coup d'état, was destroyed by fire in 1870, the imperial spirit remains intact in its gardens. A listed Historic Monument, this 460-hectare park designed by Le Nôtre is considered one of the most beautiful French formal gardens in Europe, blending grand vistas, secluded groves, and spectacular water features. Strolling through the estate is to discover the art of living at the royal and imperial courts. From the Grande Cascade, a masterpiece of 17th-century hydraulic architecture, to the Trocadéro Gardens, every path invites contemplation. The site is a veritable open-air museum where the statuary and the layout of the terraces recall that Saint-Cloud was, for centuries, the scene of the most sumptuous parties in the history of France, from Marie Antoinette to Napoleon III.