Museum Of The Renaissance @ Ecouen

By moofd

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courtyard

enchanted forest

Ecouen is actually three things.

1) It's a rather ordinary fairy tale village. I say ordinary because there's nothing "to see" in the town of Ecouen. It's where people live in little homes, go to work, and raise kids. I say fairy tale because it's surrounded by this wondrous dense green forest, has little brick paths, and further out, you'll find the tiny swimming holes that can define a perfect childhood.

2) The Chateau d'Ecouen houses the Museum of the Renaissance, but it's the massive courtyard that captures our focus. When I was there, they were setting up for a jousting festival, and with the Chateau as a backdrop, it seemed just like medieval times

3) The Museum of the Renaissance. Warning: it's all in French. This is not a place that gets an awful lot of English visitors. But you don't need English to understand the tapestry masterpieces housed inside. It's run in conjunction with the Musee de Cluny in Paris (Museum of Medieval Art).


It's located 12 miles outside of Paris and accessible by train. To get to the Chateau, follow the dirt path from the train station through a dense forest for approximately 1 mile. Take care to follow the signs on the trail, as it does deviate a bit. Note that there isn't a lot to eat (or a lot for tourists) in the museum or in the city.




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