1. The National Museum of the Renaissance (Musée National de la Renaissance) is located in the Château d’Ecouen, a Renaissance castle in the town of Ecouen, just outside of Paris. It is dedicated to the art and culture of the Renaissance period in France, and its collections include paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, and historical artifacts. Some interesting facts about the museum include:
- The Château d’Ecouen was built in the 16th century for the Anne de Montmorency, a powerful nobleman who served as a close advisor to French kings Francis I and Henry II.
- The museum’s collection includes many stunning examples of Renaissance art, such as the famous portrait of Francois I by Jean Clouet, and the enameled shield of Francois I, made by the Limoges painter Pierre Reymond.
- Other highlights of the collection include tapestries from the Gobelins workshop, ornate furniture from the Fontainebleau palace, and a series of rooms decorated in the style of medieval French chateaux.
2. The National Museum of the Renaissance is open every day except Tuesdays, from 9.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-5.15pm. The phone number for the museum is +33 1 34 38 38 50.
3. Admission to the museum is €6, or free for people under 26 (EU citizens only), visitors with disabilities and one companion, and the first Sunday of every month. The museum is easily accessible by train from Gare du Nord or Gare de l’Est stations in Paris, with a journey time of approximately 25 minutes to the Ecouen train station. From there, it’s about a 10-minute walk to the chateau. Alternatively, visitors can take the RER line D to the Villiers-le-Bel/Gonesse station and then catch bus 269 to the chateau.
